Cancer Fears Grip Sydney School: Health Audit Ordered

Concerns have surfaced regarding a possible cancer cluster among staff at Blakehurst High School in Sydney's south, leading to a government-ordered health audit. A former science faculty headteacher, Debbie Fabrizio, expressed fears that she and several colleagues were diagnosed with breast cancer, suggesting the situation was either a cluster or an extraordinary run of bad luck. She also recalled concerns about asbestos previously found on school grounds.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has initiated a thorough health audit of the school, which is located within his electorate. This audit includes a comprehensive examination of science facilities and other areas. While initial testing of these facilities has yielded clear results, the NSW Department of Education confirmed that further epidemiological research will be conducted by NSW Health to investigate potential commonalities among diagnosed staff.

The department emphasized that staff and student wellbeing is its top priority and that independent testing, including a prior assessment in 2021, had identified no issues. The investigation aims to reach out to diagnosed individuals to understand their health histories and identify any potential links, with results from the ongoing epidemiological study expected.