It took even longer for the government to acknowledge the children of those contaminated could also be affected.Įmma Ackerson’s grandfather, Navy veteran Lonnie Kilpatrick, was exposed to the toxic herbicide while on Guam in the 70s.Īfter an eight-year struggle, 8 On Your Side assisted Lonnie in obtaining Agent Orange benefits from the VA. It took decades for the Department of Veterans Affairs to admit that the powerful herbicide poisoned thousands of U.S. A group of different types of cancers in body tissues such as muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues.Soft Tissue Sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma).Cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus.Respiratory Cancers (includes lung cancer).Chloracne (or similar acneform disease).This list of illnesses tied to Agent Orange is posted on the Department of Veterans Affairs web site: The chemicals in Agent Orange are known to cause a variety of illnesses including several types of cancers, among other diseases. Tens of thousands of American military personnel handled, sprayed or were sprayed by this herbicide. The military sprayed more than 20 million gallons of the powerful defoliant in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to deny the enemy food sources and cover. “It’s a structural defect in the brain where part of the brain is going down in to the spinal column,” said Keri.Ĭhiari malformation is also a condition associated with Agent Orange.
She gets dark circles under her eyes and you either have to lay her down on the floor, you have top pick her up, because she’ll pass out,” explained Emma’s mother, Keri Ackerson.Īccording to her mom, Emma’s problems stem from a birth defect called Chiari malformation, a neural tube defect. Connective tissue disorder, which is EDS ( Ehlers Danlos syndrome)Įmma suffers headaches and stomach pain, as well as heart problems.But this list of Emma’s medical problems keeps growing: