NEW JERSEY — Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, first responders exposed to toxins and trauma at Ground Zero continue to face physical and mental health problems, with thousands receiving care through Rutgers University’s World Trade Center Health Program.
Since 2003, the federally funded World Trade Center Health Program has treated more than 130,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 6,500 have received care through the World Trade Center Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence at Rutgers.
Patients at Rutgers have been treated for conditions including respiratory, neuromuscular and gastrointestinal disorders, cancers, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
“One might think that 25 years is enough time to grieve,” said Jodi Streich, director of mental health services at the World Trade Center Health Program at Rutgers. “In reality, many who responded that day held in their grief for 25 years and only now are they ready to talk about it.”
Among the patients is Frank Geffre, 61, a Piscataway firefighter who spent time at Ground Zero supporting recovery efforts. In the years since, Geffre has had cancerous nodes on his sinus canal, colon cancer and nearly lost his left kidney because of intense radiation, according to Rutgers. Many of those he worked alongside have since died.
Geffre credits the Rutgers program with providing a community of support and a network of clinical and mental health services.
“I tell all 9/11 first responders,” that the Program at Rutgers “is the best there is.”
Streich said the sense of community provided by the program can be particularly important around the anniversary of the attacks, when symptoms can intensify.
“People feel recognized here,” Streich said. “They know they’re not alone.”
“When I train my trainees, I always say August is our heaviest month,” Streich said.
The years immediately following the attacks brought an increase in mental health needs among emergency workers, particularly those who left their jobs, according to Rutgers. The COVID-19 pandemic brought another wave of retirements and grief.
Streich said some first responders who remained on the job suppressed their feelings, only experiencing symptoms after they retired. Those feelings can be compounded by illnesses and trauma experienced during their careers.
“Think about what difficult jobs our patients had,” said Iris Udasin, medical director. “They’re not just recovering from what happened on 9/11. They’re recovering from whatever happened to them when they were police officers, firefighters or first responders.”
Health concerns related to exposure at Ground Zero also continue to emerge as responders age. All cancers linked to 9/11 exposure are now covered by the World Trade Center Health Program, including uterine cancer, which was added to its list of covered conditions in 2023.
“Latency for some cancers is 20 or 30 years, so we’re seeing more cancers than ever before,” Udasin said. “We’re also concerned about other chronic physical illnesses that could be related to WTC exposure.”
Geffre also described the impact on caregivers. His wife, who recently died, had been his support system but could not always understand the mental anguish he experienced.
“It was hard for her to understand why I’d wake up at night in cold sweats, screaming or why some things were triggering,” he said.
Rutgers will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attacks with a ceremony honoring those who died and the first responders who answered the call.
“For many of our members, taking part in the commemoration itself – whether performing, speaking or simply standing together – is its own form of catharsis,” Streich said. “They’re not just honoring that day. They’re also paying tribute to who is standing alongside of them.”
For Geffre, however, commemorating the anniversary will take a different form. He plans to attend a Yankees-Mets baseball game with his son.
“As a first responder, ‘never forget’ brings up things that I don’t always want to remember,” he said. “Sometimes, I do want to forget.”
Rutgers’ World Trade Center Health Program commemoration will be livestreamed beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11.
