3 ways to realize the PACT Act’s promise and fulfill my husband’s dying wish

My husband’s battle began in 2016 when he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune mucous membrane disease and in early 2017, Stage 4 adenocarcinoma lung cancer. It took on a new fight starting in November 2019 after he was medically separated from the military when the Department of Veterans Affairs denied some medical coverage and other benefits.

The VA’s explanation was that Heath did not prove a connection between his lung cancer and any burn pit or combat related exposures.

In time, but after his death, Heath was proven right. During his deployments as an Army combat medic to Iraq and Kosovo, he was exposed to toxic emissions from burn pits. Those exposures led to the lung cancer that took his life in 2020. He was 39.

Until his dying day, Heath fought hard, not just for himself but for all his brothers and sisters. While it was too late for him, he never stopped advocating for those also exposed to toxins to get the health care and benefits they deserved.

I am thankful that two years ago lawmakers set politics aside and passed the bipartisan Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins Act.

As the most sweeping expansion of veterans benefits in a generation, the legislation established a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins. To date, more than 1 million PACT Act related claims have been granted, and over 888,000 veterans and survivors are receiving new service-connected disability benefits.

I am very proud of its impact, but more needs to be done to realize PACT’s promise.

The signing of the law was a testament to Heath’s perseverance and strength, even though he could only view the ceremony from above. To honor his memory, I have carried on his fight so that other spouses, partners and family members would not have to endure what my family and I suffered through.

Thankfully, I am not waging this battle alone. I am grateful for the support of members of Congress, Burn Pits 360 and The American Legion, which coordinated a panel discussion last month in the U.S. House of Representatives to help push momentum forward.

We are asking the VA to do more to ensure all veterans who suffered toxic exposure are screened so that treatment can begin immediately. There are three specific actions the VA can take.

First, launch a pilot program using non-invasive lung imaging technologies to screen for respiratory diseases from burn pit exposure. Right now, veterans must undergo a painful and invasive lung biopsy to receive a diagnosis. New Food and Drug Administration-approved technology can evaluate lung function more efficiently and more cost effectively than traditional methods. The VA needs to implement this.

Second, establish a standardized screening program that includes triaging workflow. Once a veteran has established respiratory challenges, he or she should have a concrete series of next steps to receive care. The process needs to minimize the time between diagnosis and treatment.

Finally, create a network of specialists to see, diagnose and treat veterans suffering from respiratory illnesses included as presumptive illnesses by the PACT Act. About 3.5 million servicemembers were exposed to hazardous toxins from burn pits while deployed overseas. There are far more patients than there are specialists to provide treatment. There should be an easy way to find a specialist once diagnosis is confirmed.

This type of infrastructure was not in place for Heath. Instead, it took nine months for the proper cancer diagnosis. It was too late for him but it’s not too late for others.

After all, the PACT Act is just a start. We have a long way to go to ensure veterans are being diagnosed accurately, being treated properly, and are receiving the best care possible.

Assuredly, the VA deserves credit for its efforts to date, especially spreading awareness about PACT. The challenge of burn pits was not going to be fixed overnight or over two years.

We must also be clear-eyed that the work is not done.

Heath’s dying wish was that we were going to complete his mission. He accepted that anything we accomplished was too late to help him. Heath never regretted serving his country but he did want his story and sacrifices told on Capitol Hill so that his battle buddies, fellow veterans and their families would receive care. He wanted to know that his voice would be heard so that he could rest in peace.

For Heath and all the others, we will fight on.

Danielle Robinson is the surviving spouse of the late Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson, for whom the bipartisan PACT Act was named, and a Burn Pits 360 advocate.