Tomorrow, September 26, is Mesothelioma Awareness Day, the second since my diagnosis. This year's Mesothelioma Awareness Day is particularly relevant because we have just passed the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11. The fall of the Twin Towers released large amounts of asbestos dust into the air, as recently released documents have confirmed. Asbestos causes mesothelioma, but it generally has a twenty to fifty year latency period. This means that we will probably soon see an upsurge in meso cases among first responders, clean-up crew, and the general population of lower Manhattan.
Things you can do:
1) Wear blue!
2) Learn about mesothelioma symptoms, particularly if you were exposed to the dust from 9/11. Symptoms include a dry cough and chest pain for pleural mesothelioma and abdominal pain and bloating for peritoneal mesothelioma.
3) Get rid of any talc-based beauty products. Talcum powder is contaminated with asbestos.
4) If you are planning home renovations, learn about where in your home asbestos may be hiding.
5) Support the work of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF). On the 25th and 26th of September MARF is running a matching challenge grant, whereby donations will be matched up to a total of $25,000. You can give at the main donation site, or you can help me reach my fundraising goal. My fundraising page is here. These funds will go toward research to help find better treatments or even a cure.
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| "Hope for a cure," says the stem of the flower. |
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