PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Yasmina Colombo, Member of the Public, on MSK Pavilion Expansion
1:44:38
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136 sec
Yasmina Colombo testifies against Memorial Sloan Kettering's (MSK) expansion plan, expressing concerns about the health impacts on local children and residents, questioning who benefits from the project, and criticizing MSK's justification for the building's height.
- Highlights the demolition of a residential building and removal of asbestos near PS 183 elementary school
- Questions MSK's commitment to health equity, citing low Medicaid acceptance rates
- Challenges MSK's use of CDC cancer projections, arguing that the data doesn't support the need for such a tall building
- Calls for a focus on cancer prevention rather than expansion of treatment facilities
Yasmina Colombo
1:44:38
Colombo.
1:44:39
Yes.
1:44:40
So something is very wrong when we need to come here today to beg you to protect our children's health from a cancer hospital's expansion plan involving demolition of a residential building in the midst of a housing crisis.
1:44:52
A demolition that will involve removal of significant amounts of asbestos.
1:44:56
MSK's lack of consideration for the health and well-being of PS 183 students and residents is egregious.
1:45:02
But here we are.
1:45:03
So the question is, who benefits?
1:45:05
And despite claims today to the contrary, health equity is a serious concern with MSK, averaging meager Medicaid acceptance rates, and most recently informing city workers that they may be dropping their health insurance carrier Anthem due to stalled negotiations.
1:45:20
So who benefits?
1:45:21
As is that MSK Pavilion plan stands to benefit the wealthiest and most elderly demographic the most, while the greatest burden on health and quality of life would fall on 500 public school children under the age of twelve and the working class residents living in five story tenement buildings on East 66th Street.
1:45:39
On May 8th, despite overwhelming community opposition, CB8 nonetheless approved for zoning.
1:45:44
And with the condition that it lowered the profile struck To date, MSK has failed to meet this condition.
1:45:50
Even though a reasonable height of 380 feet would alleviate the most significant impacts, MSK has instead proceeded to insist it requires the incredible full height of 594 feet in a residential zone a height that would make it the tallest hospital in the world.
1:46:05
MSK has also failed to substantiate this need with any data beyond a CDC study projecting 50% increase in cancer incidents in America by 2050.
1:46:15
It's notable that when the bureau president recommended approval of rezoning in June, he misunderstood this CDC study to project a 50% increase in cancer rates.
1:46:25
It does not.
1:46:26
In fact, the CDC study referenced by MSK actually predicts a stabilization in cancer rates in women, and a decrease in cancer rates in men by 2050.
1:46:36
And concludes our projections make it clear that to mitigate the impact of a growing and aging population, a substantial robust and coordinated focus on primary prevention is needed immediately, not in 6 years immediately, yet prevention is completely absent from this MSK Pavilion plan.
1:46:53
Thank you.