Author Archive

If there is one thing we enjoy at the Mesothelioma Center it is seeing a high level of community engagement on Facebook. And we are seeing that lately.

People are updating us about their family members, and some mesothelioma patients are even sharing about their treatment challenges.

This is exactly what our Facebook page is designed to be – a place where all members of the mesothelioma community can reach out and connect with those affected by a disease we all want to see the end of.

Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. The special day was created in 1950 to acknowledge all those who served the United States Armed Forces.

In a lot of ways, it is similar to both Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Memorial Day was created to observe those who fought and fell in the Civil War and has since been extended to include anyone who has lost their life while serving for the United States military. Veterans Day has also been known as Armistice Day, the same day World War I ended. We observe this holiday to honor all armed service veterans.

Did you know tomorrow is Armed Forces Day? Take a moment of your day to thank those who are bravely serving our country and let us know on Facebook, do you have a friend or relative that served or is serving in the United States Armed Forces?

In case you missed it, here is a list of blog articles that we have posted throughout the week.

Can Cancer Cause Hiccups?

Lyn Johnson has been a mesothelioma survivor for around 5 years. However, she is no stranger to what mesothelioma can do. She saw her father succumb to the disease 18 years earlier.

We would like to thank her for sharing her insight on the trials she has had to go through. We always appreciate hearing from survivors and if you are interested in sharing your story, contact us at outreach@asbestos.com.

What were the events that led up to your diagnosis?

The Big Tex Site in San Antonio, Texas, stored, processed and packaged asbestos-contaminated vermiculite ore from a mine in Libby, Montana. The mine was owned and operated by W.R. Grace & Company, which has been associated with one of the largest asbestos scandals in the United States.

In addition to exposing Libby residents to asbestos from its operations, W.R. Grace also exposed others when it shipped asbestos-containing vermiculite to 266 sites in 41 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.

Vermiculite ore is refined by rapidly expanding the ore with heat, a process known as exfoliation. As water in the ore becomes steam, it causes the rock to explode.

We have been producing several info-graphics over the past month and you can find on our Mesothelioma Center Facebook page. There has been an exceptional amount of community members providing requests for specific content as well as supporting others in the community. If you would like to share an experience or request information, please feel free to email us at outreach@asbestos.com.

In case you missed any of our blog posts from this week, they are listed below.

Video: Benign vs. Malignant

Trying to tell others about your mesothelioma diagnosis may feel overwhelming at times. A cancer diagnosis is often a life changing event and sharing the news with friends and family may not come easy.

Some of the reasons why patients might hesitate to share a cancer diagnosis are:

• They don't want to be seen as a victim
• They don't want others to feel sorry for them
• They're afraid how others might react
• They're not sure how they’ll combat the cancer
• They're not ready to hear suggestions or advice

It's important to have the conversation but only when you're ready. Make sure to let others know your reason for telling them and be specific about how you’re handling the diagnosis. If you’re not ready to talk about the negative side of things, make sure to clarify that with them.

If you're finding it difficult to tell people about your mesothelioma diagnosis, you're not alone.

Receiving a diagnosis is an emotional roller coaster, and finding the right time to tell friends and family is not an easy task. But recognizing an opportunity to tell someone can make all the difference.

If you've elected to undergo treatment, a good time to tell someone might be when they notice physical changes. For example, chemotherapy can cause hair loss and vomiting. If someone notices these side effects, it may be a good time to let them know about your treatment and mesothelioma diagnosis.

This week we made some changes to our Facebook community page by updating our Veterans Assistance App. Our goal is to help veterans with the VA Benefits process as well as other services.

Also we would like to thank some of our Facebook fans that contributed pictures of asbestos they found in their homes. We added them to an album for everyone to comment on.

If you missed any of our blogs this week they are all here:

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Mesothelioma Awareness T-Shirt giveaway. It was a great success!

Soon we will post the pictures we received of you showing support in your new shirt. These are a great way to get people talking about mesothelioma and to turn talk to banning asbestos.

If you are looking for more ways to bring up a conversation about mesothelioma or asbestos, share one of news articles or blog posts: