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April 1997
Washington, D.C.

President Bill Clinton signs Executive Order 12606. This national order endorses improved research to protect children, and the establishment of new safeguards that consider special environmental health risks to children. CHEC was instrumental in bringing this critical issue to the President's attention.




President Clinton with Margaret and Bill Henslee and their daughter Heather Henslee.


President Clinton with Kevin and Billy Larm



“I first met Nancy in 1994 when I was producing an ABC news children's town meeting at the White House and I was looking for a child that had suffered an environmental illness to share his story and ask President Clinton a question. Nancy knew of a beautiful 11 year old boy from Omaha, Nebraska that believed his cancer was caused by his proximity to the high tension wires around his home. He lived in a cancer cluster and there had also been an alarming increase in the incidents of childhood cancer in his school. We sent a producer to his home to tell his story (I remember there was a hearse at his school and a funeral for a student was in progress the day our crew was there). We brought Kevin Arm and his family to DC for the show. The morning of our live telecast Kevin was rushed to the emergency room with a spiked fever. His younger brother took his place at the White House and went on to ask Kevin's question. I believe that Saturday morning audience came to understand the Larms' pain in a particularly personal way. But what happened next was what I have come to recognize as one of Nancy's many gifts. She took a setback and turned it into a platform. She arranged for Kevin to meet the President as soon as he was released from the emergency room and she seized the opportunity to pull together a small group to convince President Clinton about the need for a children's environmental bill of rights.

Three months later I was part of the board and part of the CHEC family. Like most people, even the briefest interaction with Nancy Chuda became a life changing event. I have watched her dream huge dreams and amazingly I have watched her spin them into reality. As the producer of our first video "Not Under My Roof," I feel we are on the cusp of creating immense change in thelandscape of children's environmental health and I am proud to be part of the movement.”

BOARD MEMBER, CARRIE COOK PLATT




Board Member Carrie Cook Platt


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