Leadership

Michael Latourette is a Marine Corps veteran and dedicated advocate for fellow service members and families impacted by the Camp Lejeune water contamination crisis. A board member of Justice for Lejeune, Michael is fighting to hold the U.S. government accountable for the toxic exposure that has left thousands suffering—including himself.

From 1979 to 1983, Michael was stationed at Camp Lejeune, where he unknowingly drank, cooked with, and bathed in water later found to be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals. Decades later, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable blood cancer that eats away at the bones. In 2016, he underwent a stem cell transplant and began an aggressive chemotherapy regimen that continues to this day. While he initially responded well to treatment, his condition progressed, requiring adjustments to his treatment and resulting in serious physical complications.

To prevent full bone fractures caused by the disease, steel rods were surgically implanted into both of Michael’s femurs. He now lives with reduced mobility and ongoing fatigue, which has forced him to slow down and give up the hands-on physical work he once enjoyed. Tasks like home repairs and projects—once a source of pride—now require outside help.

Despite having insurance and a supportive employer who transitioned him to a less physically demanding role, Michael still faces significant financial burdens. Because his daily chemotherapy pills cost over $12,000 per dose, he worries about what will happen when he retires and whether Medicare or Medicaid will cover the care he depends on.

For years, Michael didn’t realize his cancer was linked to Camp Lejeune and didn’t seek treatment through the VA. Now, he’s channeling his frustration into advocacy—determined to make sure other veterans and families don’t have to navigate the same uncertainty alone. Through Justice for Lejeune, he is using his voice to demand the justice, recognition, and compensation that those affected rightfully deserve.

Virginia Robinson is a survivor, advocate, and living testament to the multi-generational impact of the toxic water crisis at Camp Lejeune. The daughter and wife of Marine Corps veterans, Virginia spent much of her life on the base—first moving into base housing with her family in 1959 as a child, then later working as a civilian employee at Camp Lejeune for 25 years.

Virginia's life has been marked by unimaginable hardship. In 1978, she was diagnosed with leukemia. In 1980, she married a marine stationed at Camp Lejeune. In 1981, Virginia gave birth to a daughter who was born with a tumor on her spine. Although doctors successfully removed the tumor, she later developed bladder cancer and tragically passed away at the age of 32 in 2014.

Over the years, Virginia has battled multiple types of cancer. In 1989, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer shortly after giving birth to her third child. After recovering, she remained cancer-free until 2010, when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Five years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast. She underwent surgery and recovered, but in 2023, she faced three simultaneous cancer diagnoses: breast cancer in her right breast, kidney cancer, and liver cancer—along with cirrhosis, despite never drinking. In 2024, she underwent a liver transplant, and has been cancer free for nearly two years.

The toll Camp Lejeune’s contamination has taken on Virginia and her family is staggering. Her husband died in 2014 from lung cancer and melanoma—just five months after their daughter’s death. Her father died from Parkinson’s disease, a condition now linked to the toxins found at Camp Lejeune. By the age of 35, Virginia’s teeth and gums had deteriorated so severely she required full dentures. Despite the overwhelming medical evidence connecting her illnesses to Camp Lejeune’s poisoned water and her decades of service, she was repeatedly denied care at VA hospitals because she was classified as a civilian.

Although Virginia lives with the constant shadow of worry, she has continued to fight. As a board member of Justice for Lejeune, Virginia remains committed to obtaining justice for her family and so many others who suffered similar fates. 

Charles Morse is a Marine Corps veteran who served at Camp Lejeune from 1958 to 1959. For an entire year, Charles lived and worked on the base, unknowingly exposing himself to water contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals.

Decades later, Charles began experiencing serious health issues that would change the course of his life. In 1998, he was diagnosed with melanoma and later with another distinct form of skin cancer. Not long after, he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung condition that severely impacts his breathing and makes everyday tasks increasingly difficult.

In 1999, the Marine Corps began notifying former Camp Lejeune residents that they may have been exposed to toxic substances in the base’s water supply. As Charles’ medical journey unfolded, various physicians began asking deeper questions, running more comprehensive tests, and noting patterns that pointed to a troubling possibility. Eventually, while navigating hisdiagnoses, Charles began to believe there was a clear link between his illnesses and the toxic chemicals he had been exposed to while stationed at Camp Lejeune.

Frustrated by limited support through government channels, Charles turned to practitioners outside the VA system to receive the treatment he felt was lacking. These supplemental providers became a critical part of his effort to manage his health and maintain his quality of life—but that care has come at a steep cost. The financial burden of ongoing treatment has placed a significant strain on Charles and his family.

Today, Charles continues to advocate for recognition, accountability, and better care for veterans like himself. As part of Justice for Lejeune, he stands with others who have been harmed—seeking not just answers, but lasting justice for those exposed to the poisoned water at Camp Lejeune.