For more than 20 years, Odile and her husband Michel, devoted themselves to their farm, and used pesticides for their cultivation and breeding. Daily exposure to chemicals which had serious consequences.

Glioblastoma diagnosis

In December 2016, Michel complained of severe headaches. Hospitalized, doctors diagnosed glioblastoma, a brain tumor. “He died 6 months after the surgeon told us that the treatments had to be continued. I am convinced that in any case the origin of the tumor comes from the use of pesticides ” explains Odile Louvel.

Michel died at the age of 53. Odile then decides to have her husband’s glioblastoma recognized as an occupational disease. With the help of an environmental association, Odile launches into a fight, because this cancer is not listed in the occupational diseases of farmers.

Only five recognized diseases

For the association, meeting farmers to inform them about the links between pesticides and the occurrence of occupational diseases is essential. Today, only 5 pathologies are recognized in the table of agricultural occupational diseases linked to pesticides.

Michel’s brain tumor is not there. However, according to the AGRICAN study devoted to the health of farmers, there are links. “We looked at the risk of glioma based on the use of certain carbamates. Among these carbamates there are insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

When we compare farmers with each other, those who use pesticides on crops are more at risk of central nervous system tumors than those who do not ” explains Pierre Le Bailly, researcher of the AGRICAN cohort.

Like Odile, more and more families of victims are applying for recognition as occupational diseases. These steps are difficult and sometimes require the support of lawyers. Currently, 6 files are awaiting recognition.