Press Release: Health Crisis Looms in Libby as CARD Clinic Closes
Libby, Montana – The Community Assisting Recovery of Democracy (CARD) clinic, a lifeline for residents suffering from asbestos-related diseases, has shuttered its doors amid legal battles and potential federal funding cuts. Known for providing essential lung screenings, the clinic served a community where, according to estimates, one in ten residents suffers from asbestos-related illnesses due to historical exposure linked to a local vermiculite mine.
Eighty-one-year-old Gayla Benefield, a long-time resident and asbestosis patient, fears for her health and that of her family following the clinic’s closure in May. The facility was crucial for screenings and care, having identified over 8,900 residents since its inception. However, a lawsuit from BNSF Railway, claiming CARD defrauded the government, led to the seizure of its assets.
As funding through a $3 million federal grant hangs in the balance, patients like Benefield’s daughter, Jenan Swenson, worry access to necessary screenings will become unaffordable or unattainable.
With a federal judge expected to rule on the case’s outcome soon, the future of asbestos health services in Libby hangs in the balance, as advocacy for the clinic continues.
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