In the comic book Pesticides, Their Effects on Children's Health, published this Thursday, toxicologist Laurence Huc recounts her work with families trying to uncover the causes of their children's cancers. The book explores how political inaction and resistance to scientific findings have hindered progress in addressing environmental health risks. Huc, a research director at Inrae and a researcher at Inserm, has dedicated years to studying the impact of pesticides and other environmental factors on children's health. In 2015, families in Sainte-Pazanne, a small town near Nantes, faced a heartbreaking situation: 25 children were diagnosed with cancer, and seven of them died. Health authorities concluded that no clear cause could be identified, but the families suspected a link to pesticide exposure. They sought help from Huc, who has spent years investigating the effects of environmental toxins. Her findings, shared for the first time in this comic book, reveal a complex interplay of power, political will, and scientific denial. Huc recalls visiting Sainte-Pazanne and noticing multiple potential sources of contamination: a former wood treatment plant, buried waste pits, high-voltage power lines near the school, and pesticide spraying in nearby marshes. She was struck by the apparent disregard for these risks. When she reviewed the official health study, which dismissed any link between the environment and the cancer cases, she felt it was not a lack of evidence but a lack of will to address the issue. She criticized the failure of authorities to act, despite the presence of multiple potential carcinogens. The families in Sainte-Pazanne were not alone in their concerns. Huc has received numerous inquiries from other communities in France where similar cancer clusters have been reported, such as in La Rochelle, the Jura, and Normandy. However, these concerns are often not validated by health authorities. The families, feeling abandoned by the institutions meant to protect public health, decided to take matters into their own hands. They formed the association Stop to the Cancers of Our Children and even ran in local elections, with six members elected and one becoming mayor. Huc now presides over a new citizen research institute created by these families, supported by other environmental groups. The institute aims to conduct independent studies on the health effects of environmental factors, including pesticides and other pollutants. The research program is developed by a scientific advisory board, ensuring that the studies are rigorous and relevant to the communities involved. The institute also includes representatives from economic and agricultural sectors, showing that even those traditionally resistant to environmental regulations can be engaged in meaningful dialogue. Huc is particularly critical of recent policies that allow the return of certain pesticides, such as acetamiprid, under the agricultural emergency law. She views this as a step backward, ignoring previous commitments to reduce pesticide use for the sake of human and environmental health. She emphasizes the importance of listening to scientists and acting on their findings, warning that a democracy that ignores scientific evidence risks long-term harm to public health. Looking ahead, Huc suggests that the future president of France should prioritize transitioning farmers away from conventional intensive agriculture, a model she argues is both environmentally and socially unsustainable. She believes that with political will and scientific guidance, it is possible to create a healthier, more sustainable future for all.