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<\/p>\nDEVINE, Texas \u2014 Stephanie Smith no longer lives near Corpus Christi\u2019s \u201cRefinery Row,\u201d but the health consequences of growing up there continue to shape her life. <\/p>\n
Raised in Academy Heights, a working-class neighborhood surrounded by oil refineries and petrochemical plants, Smith was born three months early. Her younger sister Margie was born with a rare chromosomal disorder and lived with severe disabilities until her death at 21. Cancer, diabetes, asthma, and chronic illness were common throughout her family and community.<\/p>\n
WATCH PART 1 OF THIS SERIES BELOW, A SHORT DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWING SMITH:<\/p>\n
What Happens to Texas Babies Born Near Refineries? (Part 1)<\/p>\n
Today, the 56-year-old lives 2 hours north of the city. Her day is filled with caring for her aging father, who recently entered hospice care. <\/p>\n
In part 1 of an investigative series on birth defects in South Texas, Investigative Reporter, Lea Zora speaks with Smith, who reflects on a question her family has asked for decades: were these illnesses tragic coincidences \u2014 or the result of environmental exposure?<\/p>\n
This year long investigation is just beginning, and we will continue looking for answers for Stephanie and others like her. <\/p>\n
Are you or someone you know impacted by birth defects? Scan the QR code to share your story. <\/p>\n
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KRIS6<\/p>\n
Are you or someone you know impacted by birth defects? Scan the QR code to share your story.<\/p>\n