Why This Town Is Dying From Cancer

The tiny town of Reserve has the highest risk of cancer in the entire U.S., suffering a cancer rate that is 700 to 800 times that of the nation.

But that wasn’t always the case - it was once a thriving black community post-World War II, home to a large sugar refinery. But in 1985, the sugar company closed-down, and now petrochemical companies have bought out much of the town because of its proximity to the Mississippi River, highways and railroads.