Why Doctors Asked Tatiana Schlossberg if She Spent Time at Ground Zero After Her Myeloid Leukaemia Diagnosis

Tatiana Schlossberg has died at the age of 35, just a month after revealing her cancer diagnosis in November this year. The granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy and the daughter of Caroline Kennedy passed away following a brave battle with acute myeloid leukaemia, which is an aggressive type of blood cancer.

The Kennedy family confirmed in a social media post that the respected environmental journalist and author had passed away in the morning of 30 December 2025. Her passing brought back the spotlight on her medical journey, which she shared through her essay published on The New Yorker on 22 November 2025 and titled 'A Battle With My Blood.' In it, she revealed that one of the first questions doctors asked her was if she ever spent time at Ground Zero in New York.

Why Doctors Need to Know If Tatiana Schlossberg Visited Ground Zero

When she was first diagnosed with myeloid leukaemia, her medical team immediately launched an investigation to find possible triggers for Schlossberg's blood cancer. During this process, one of the first questions they inquired was: did she spend a significant time at Ground Zero in the wake of the 11 September attacks?

It was explained that this inquiry was important and based on the well-documented '9/11 cancer' phenomenon. In a new study led by researchers at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC), they found genetic changes that may explain why the first responders exposed to 9/11's toxic dust cloud at the World Trade Center (WTC) face a higher risk of developing leukaemia and other blood disorders.

'Our findings provide new insights into the long-term health impacts of environmental catastrophes, such as wildfires, and suggest targeted interventions for those affected by 9/11 or similar disasters,' Amit Verma, MD, research leader and associate director for translational science at MECCC, said.

A Toxic Cloud and a Lingering Threat

In Schlossberg's case, doctors said that acute myeloid leukaemia is known to be triggered by exposure to some toxins such as benzene and other chemicals. Unfortunately, these substances were released in massive quantities when the Twin Towers collapsed on 11 September 2001.

She was questioned about her exposure because she lived in New York during that period and was one of the generation of Manhattan residents who may have breathed in a toxic mixture of pulverised concrete, glass fibres, asbestos, and various heavy metals. For her medical team, knowing if she has a history of exposure to Ground Zero was a critical piece of information that can help trace the origins of Schlossberg's illness that doctors say often lies dormant for years before becoming active.

'Following the 9/11 attacks, a toxic cloud of dust and debris engulfed Manhattan and lingered for months. This dust contained a dangerous mixture of carcinogens, including benzene, asbestos, heavy metals, and dioxins. Benzene, in particular, has been strongly linked to blood cancers like leukemia,' Hansen & Rosasco, lawyers of 9/11 victims, said in a post.

They added, 'First responders, cleanup workers, and residents in the vicinity of Ground Zero faced prolonged exposure to these hazardous substances. Studies have shown that this exposure significantly increases the risk of developing cancers of the blood, including leukemia.'

Over the last two decades, thousands of New Yorkers have been diagnosed with similar conditions after being exposed to the 'Dust Zone.' This astonishing surge in illnesses has fueled a movement of advocates dedicated to securing health support for everyone affected, from the frontline first responders to the residents and office workers who inhaled the toxic debris.

'This Could Not Possibly Be My Life'

In her essay, Schlossberg recalled her shock at the diagnosis. 'I did not - could not - believe that they were talking about me,' Schlossberg wrote in the publication after revealing her illness back then. 'I wasn't sick. I didn't feel sick. I was actually one of the healthiest people I knew.'

She also mentioned her two young children, admitting it was hard for her to accept the diagnosis. 'I had a son whom I loved more than anything and a newborn I needed to take care of,' Schlossberg shared. 'This could not possibly be my life.'