CHEC: The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition
“The study is the nation’s only opportunity to identify the preventable and environmental causes of chronic disease that are reaching epidemic proportions in American children,” said Christopher Gavigan, executive director of CHEC. “We can send a message to our elected officials that budget considerations should not get in the way of our children’s health.”
CHEC is a national non-profit that educates the public, specifically parents and caregivers by ensuring everyone’s right to know what it is in their air, food, water, and commercial products. CHEC also has a Science Advisory Committee made up of nationally recognized doctors, scientists, and researchers.
According to CHEC you can learn how to take simple steps to protect your baby from toxic chemicals.
CHEC was established after parents Nancy and Jim Chuda’s daughter Colette was stricken with cancer.
“We began to question whether something in the environment had interfered with Colette’s gestational development,” they said.
The couple felt that children were much more vulnerable than people think and that health standards for kids were inappropriate and only fit adults.
The Chudas say they will never forget Colette’s bravery.
In 1991 after numerous contributions to the cause the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund (CCEF) released its first analysis of children’s exposure to carcinogens in their environments.
It was the study and others by the National Academy of Sciences, the Environmental Working Group, and Columbia University that sparked the interest of Senator Barbara Boxer to take action resulting in changing the current environmental protection policy.
From there CHEC was formed.
The famous Erin Brockovich Ellis is the director of environmental research of the organization and cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John serves on the board of directors.
Researchers are finding that some chemicals can cause damage to a child’s developing brain, while others may cause cancer or mimic or block hormones.
You can sign the current petition at checnet.org.
The Coalition is located in Los Angeles, CA.
For more information call 310-820-2030.
