Mesothelioma Awareness Day: A Day to Honor Those with the Courage to Stand Up to Mesothelioma and its Cause – Asbestos

Sep 26, 2009

September 26th is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Across the country, people are getting the word out about malignant mesothelioma and asbestos, which causes this cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen. The goals of Mesothelioma Awareness Day are to increase awareness about the dangers of asbestos, seek a cure for mesothelioma, and hopefully protect future generations from having to face this life-threatening and often fatal disease.

Mesothelioma afflicts an estimated 3,000 Americans every year. Asbestos, a fiber-like mineral once used in over 3,000 products in the U.S., causes virtually every case of mesothelioma in this country. In most cases, it can take upwards of twenty to forty years—or even longer—for mesothelioma to develop after exposure to asbestos. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma were occupationally exposed to asbestos, but not always—for example, family members exposed to asbestos-contaminated work clothes have developed the disease. In fact, even short-term exposures to asbestos can cause mesothelioma. Still, the risk of developing mesothelioma among the general population is less than one percent, while the risk is closer to 8 to 13 percent among asbestos workers.

Of course, behind such statistics are the people battling a disease that could have been prevented. In our law firm’s thirty-plus years representing people with mesothelioma, we’ve had the honor to know and serve many of them. Today we remember them, honor them, and salute their courage and dignity in the face of this disease.

Take, for example, Ronald Williams and his wife Diane of Gonzales, Louisiana. Their inspirational story was recently told in the book Understanding Mesothelioma by CURE Media (the publisher of CURE Magazine) and sponsored by Baron & Budd. Mr. Williams, a radiographer who X-rayed machinery at industrial sites, came down with flu-like symptoms one day on his way home from a paper mill job. One test lead to another, and a biopsy ultimately confirmed mesothelioma. He underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy, which shrunk the cancer and alleviated his symptoms. Diane, herself a two-time breast cancer survivor, encouraged him throughout his treatment to fight the disease and to stay optimistic. He is now a two-year survivor of mesothelioma. "People need to know that there is hope," he says. And by sharing his story with the countless people who will read Understanding Mesothelioma, his message of hope will inspire many.

Like Mr. and Mrs. Williams, many people affected by mesothelioma have strived not just to survive the disease, but to help others along the way. Some have worked to advance understanding about the dangers of asbestos and to advocate for an asbestos-free future. Many have taken action through our court system against the companies responsible for exposing them to asbestos—to hold those companies responsible and to discourage other companies from putting profits over people’s health. Some have even traveled to Washington, D.C. to encourage Congress to pass laws protecting people with asbestos-related disease and to ban asbestos in the U.S. because, surprisingly, asbestos is still used in this country today. And some have served as patient advocates, helping others with the disease get the medical and emotional support they need or raising funds to find a cure. Unfortunately, many of them succumb to the disease. But they touch many, many lives along the way.

Some family members continue the fight even after losing a loved one. Linda Reinstein, executive director and co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO),continues the fight against asbestos disease that she started after her husband’s 2003 mesothelioma diagnosis. Reinstein is also profiled in CURE’s Understanding Mesothelioma. The organization she founded has been a strong voice in the fight against asbestos-related disease.

To the Williams, the many others with mesothelioma that we have been honored to know and to serve, and to all those who battle this disease, we salute your spirit, your courage and your perseverance. Our ultimate hope is that your legacy will be a future in which no one will ever again have to face this disease.

We are honored to stand with you in this fight.

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