On March 31st 2008, Assemblyman William Colton and fellow Majority colleagues presented a check to Project Chernobyl for $540,000 dollars in an effort to fund thyroid cancer screenings for victims of the April 20th 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Since that time, it is estimated that 200,000 immigrants from the affected regions have immigrated to the New York Metro area. The money will be used to buy additional Thyroid CT scanning machines, and also to assist in operating costs such as staffing, outreach, and education. The Assembly members’ efforts will prove to be very beneficial in the treatment and education of thyroid cancer, which is treatable when diagnosed early.