9/11 Dust Woman Died Of Cancer

Marcy Borders, picture became one of the iconic images of the 9/11 attacks sadly died of stomach cancer.

The forty-two years old Marcy Borders, who was pictured covered in dust fleeing the World Trade Center in 2001, was diagnosed with the disease in 2014 which she claimed was caused from inhaling toxic air from the attack.

"I definitely believe it because I haven't had any illnesses," she had told NJ.com. "I don't have high blood pressure ... high cholesterol (or) diabetes."

Ms Borders had started a new job just one month before the attack and had arrived late that morning. After fleeing the building covered in dust she was grabbed by a man who led her to safety.

The picture of her covered in dust was taken by photographer Stan Honda of Agence France Presse and published in newspapers around the world and before her identity was revealed she became known simply as "dust lady".

In 2011 she told the New York Post her life spiralled out of control after the attacks.

"I didn't do a day's work in nearly 10 years," she said. "By 2011 I was a complete mess. Every time I saw an aircraft, I panicked. If I saw a man on a building, I was convinced he was going to shoot me."

Hundreds of people have been diagnosed with cancer in the wake of the attacks, but doctors and researchers are still uncertain whether there is any direct link to 9/11.

In September 2014 three retired New York City fire fighters who worked at Ground Zero died on the same day from cancers many believe can be attributed to the tragedy.

One had leukaemia, one had oesophageal cancer and a third had colon cancer.