Texas mesothelioma patient promoted to fire captain
David Chesser of Texas was promoted to fire chief of the Beaumont Fire Department on July 27. His wife Michelle accepted his collar brass during the promotion and hiring ceremony, as Chesser was in the hospital due to complications of the surgery he had earlier in the month. Chesser was diagnosed with mesothelioma and underwent surgery to remove his appendix, part of his pancreas and his spleen. He had been home for only four days before he returned to the hospital because of complications.
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that can invade the lining surrounding the lungs (called pleural mesothelioma), the heart (called pericardial mesothelioma) or the abdomen (called peritoneal mesothelioma). Decades pass between an individual’s exposure to asbestos and the presentation of the disease; this is called the latency period.
Chesser has served with the Beaumont Fire Department for 35 years. He was promoted to captain in 1992. During the ceremony that promoted him to fire chief, nine other men were promoted and four new hires were recognized.
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