KDHE: Cancer rates in Buhler not higher than average

May 01, 2012|By Melissa Scheffler | KWCH

(BUHLER, Kan.) — The Buhler community finally has the results from a cancer investigation. After months of analyzing data, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment released its findings. Certain types of cancer in and around Buhler are not higher than average.

For months now, the talk in the small community of Buhler around the tables at the Mustard Seed Coffee Shop has been about cancer.

"Probably every day, every table was talking about once or twice," Blanca Kaufman of Mustard Seed Coffee Shop said.

Kaufman hopes the results of KDHE's investigation will end that kind of chatter. In a letter sent to the Buhler School Superintendent Monday, KDHE said it found female breast cancer and lung cancer rates in the area were not above average.

"If you read into the study, it actually details in a number of cases , we're actually, community-wide, lower than the average," Buhler Mayor Daniel Friesen said.

KDHE started its analysis in February. That's after the Reno County Health Department received citizen concerns about cancer in Buhler Grade School. KDHE says it looked at the number of female breast cancer and lung cancer cases diagnosed within the last five years associated with the school. Using the Kansas Cancer Registry, it compared the rates of female breast cancer and lung cancer in Reno County and in three zip codes--which included Buhler and parts of Hutchinson. Its conclusion... There is not an increased risk for these types of cancers in this area.

"Look across America. We all get cancer," a Buhler resident said.

Buhler did its own testing recently, as well. The city looked into the water supply. And, the school district hired a private firm to do environmental testing of Buhler Grade for the third time since 2007. Both the water and the school were found to be safe.

"Really, a lot of the community was asking for this issue to die down because it really kind of had a negative spin and there was a lot of misconception out there about what was going on," Friesen said.

Friesen says he, like some residents, feel those who lost loved ones to cancer consumed media coverage of KDHE's investigation.

"The only thing I can say is that I sympathize with them and I hope that the cause isn't anything local. I wish we could find a cause and we could cure it," resident LeWayne Bartel said.

KDHE says it has no more investigations planned for the community.

Buhler is moving on. So is Kaufman.

"My husband is a teacher and we are looking to settle here. So I would recommend it. It's a nice community," Kaufman said.

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