What Is The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com?

We’re Patient Advocates who provide exclusive services to help mesothelioma patients and their loved ones through every step of their journey. We build relationships with innovative cancer centers, help families access financial assistance and connect them to top mesothelioma lawyers for compensation. We also provide support groups and resources. All our concierge services are free.

The nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource.

  • 18 Years
    serving victims of asbestos exposure
  • 50% of Patients
    diagnosed in the U.S. each year turn to us for help
  • 30+ Contributors
    including doctors, dietitians, survivors and other experts
  • 500 Relationships
    with the nation’s best mesothelioma specialists
  • $640,000+
    donated to mesothelioma organizations such as cancer centers, patient advocacy groups and others

Our claim as the most trusted mesothelioma resource is based on more than 150, 5-star Google reviews and Better Business Bureau reviews for The Mesothelioma Center. Our organization also helps more than 50% of all mesothelioma patients diagnosed each year.

Meet Our Team

Our advocacy team includes professionals who have years of experience with mesothelioma patients and medical information about this rare cancer. Veterans, caregivers and mesothelioma survivors, as well as certified and award-winning medical professionals, expert contributors, medical writers and journalists contribute to Asbestos.com. We’re here to answer questions, offer resources and provide exclusive services for you and your family.

Patient Support Team

Our Patient Advocates include a medical doctor, registered nurse, oncology patient navigator, hospice care expert, health services administrators and military veterans. Our team offers families and patients support, builds relationships with top medical facilities across the U.S., connects patients to mesothelioma treatment specialists and navigates the VA system to help eligible veterans access benefits.

Patient Advocates

Karen Selby, RN, patient advocate for the Mesothelioma Center
Karen Selby, RN
Registered Nurse and Patient Advocate
Joe Lahav, Esquire, author for The Mesothelioma Center
Joe Lahav, Esquire
Lawyer and On-Site Legal Advisor
Amy Pelegrin, Hospice Care Director for The Mesothelioma Center
Amy Pelegrin
Hospice Care Director
Snehal Smart, M.D., patient advocate for The Mesothelioma Center
Snehal Smart, M.D.
Medical Doctor and Patient Advocate
Vanessa Blanco, Patient Advocate and Oncology Patient Navigator
Vanessa Blanco
Patient Advocate and Oncology Patient Navigator

Veterans Department

Aaron Munz, director of the Veterans Department at The Mesothelioma Center
Aaron Munz
Director of Veterans Department
Danielle DiPietro, Patient Advocate and VA-Accredited Claims Agent at the Mesothelioma Center
Danielle DiPietro
VA-Accredited Claims Agent

Medical Outreach

Missy Miller, Medical Outreach Director at The Mesothelioma Center
Missy Miller
Medical Outreach Director
Jose Ortiz, Medical Outreach Liaison at the Mesothelioma Center
Jose Ortiz
Medical Outreach Liaison

Our Expert Contributors

Our team of nutritionists, counselors and top mesothelioma specialists provide their perspectives and ensure our information is medically accurate. Our survivors and caregivers share their personal stories and insights with you and your family. Doctors and the treatment facilities they represent may have no professional affiliation with Asbestos.com.

Dr. Jacques Fontaine, pleural mesothelioma doctor and expert contributor for Asbestos.com
Jacques Fontaine
Thoracic Surgeon
Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker, peritoneal mesothelioma doctor
Paul H. Sugarbaker
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. W. Charles Conway
W. Charles Conway
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Raja Michael Flores, Chief of Thoracic Surgery
Raja Michael Flores
Thoracic Surgeon
Dr. Rodney Landreneau, Thoracic Surgeon& Expert Contributor for Asbestos.com
Rodney Landreneau
Thoracic Surgeon
Dr. Brian Pettiford, Leading Mesothelioma Surgeon & Expert Contributor for Asbestos.com
Brian Pettiford
Thoracic Surgeon
Farid Gharagozloo, Thoracic Surgeon & Expert Contributor for Asbestos.com
Farid Gharagozloo
Thoracic Surgeon
Dr. Abraham Lebenthal, pleural mesothelioma doctor
Abraham Lebenthal
Thoracic Surgeon
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva, mesothelioma specialist
Marcelo DaSilva
Thoracic Surgeon
Tejal Parekh, registered and licensed dietitian and Asbestos.com expert contributor
Tejal Parekh
Registered and Licensed Dietitian & Contributing Writer
Dana Nolan, mental health counselor and the Mesothelioma Center's monthly support group host
Dana Nolan, MS, LMHC
Mental Health Counselor & Contributing Writer
Kasie Coleman, Contributing Writer to Asbestos.com & Mesothelioma Survivor
Kasie Coleman
Contributing Writer
Melanie Melanie Ball, Contributing Writer to Asbestos.com
Melanie Ball
Writer
Emily Ward, pleural mesothelioma survivor
Emily Ward
Cancer Advocate & Long-Time Mesothelioma Survivor
Tamron Little, mesothelioma survivor and Asbestos.com expert contributor
Tamron Little
Mesothelioma Survivor and Writer

Editorial Team

Our editorial team informs the mesothelioma community about the latest treatments and disease information. We share survivor stories and publish nutrition, exercise, mental health and support information for you and your loved ones.

Walter Pacheco, Managing Editor at Asbestos.com
Walter Pacheco
Managing Editor
Amy Edel, senior content editor & strategist
Amy Edel
Senior Editor and Content Strategist
Fran Mannino, editor for The Mesothelioma Center
Fran Mannino
Writer and Editor
Sean Marchese, MS, RN, author for The Mesothelioma Center
Sean Marchese, MS, RN
Oncology Medical Writer and Registered Nurse
Tim Povtak, Senior Content Writer for Asbestos.com
Tim Povtak
Senior Content Writer
Michelle Whitmer, Content Writer at Asbestos.com
Michelle Whitmer
Asbestos Expert and Writer
Daniel King, asbestos expert and writer for Asbestos.com
Daniel King
Asbestos Expert and Writer

Outreach Team

Our Outreach Team communicates through our social media networks and other organizations to raise awareness about mesothelioma. We share helpful resources for patients and families and educate the public about asbestos dangers.

Cara Tompot, Social Media Specialist at Asbestos.com
Cara Tompot
Communications Manager
Andrew Robineau, outreach coordinator for Asbestos.com
Andrew Robineau
Outreach Coordinator
Skyler Woods, outreach coordinator for Asbestos.com
Skyler Woods
Outreach Coordinator

How We Help Patients and Families

We provide hope and deliver quality resources and information for patients, caregivers and loved ones coping with rare cancers like mesothelioma. Our vision is a world where everyone with mesothelioma has free access to information, services and support to overcome this disease and live longer, healthier lives with their loved ones.

Inform

Several of the nation’s top mesothelioma specialists medically review the information our oncology writers, medical writers and award-winning journalists publish. We critically review gold standard studies, cover the latest news in treatment advancements and produce in-depth stories on topics such as immunotherapy and surviving mesothelioma.

  • Asbestos.com Mesothelioma Guide
    Medically Reviewed Mesothelioma Guide
    Everyone’s mesothelioma cancer journey is different. That’s why we developed our free personalized and medically reviewed guide tailored to you and your unique diagnosis.
  • Asbestos.com's nutrition journal
    Exclusive Nutrition Guide
    Following a medically appropriate nutrition plan can help you cope with cancer symptoms and treatment side effects. Our one-of-a-kind nutrition guide, developed collaboratively with a registered dietitian, is an extensive and practical free resource for you and your family.

Where We’ve Been Featured

Assist & Connect

Our resources for patients and families help you find the best mesothelioma doctors and treatment centers, access financial resources and learn more about your legal options — all free of charge. We can also help you and your family apply for VA benefits and compensation.

  • Patient advocate sandra blanco preparing medical resources for patient
    Treatment
    Our Medical Outreach team and Patient Advocates listen and quickly answer your questions about diagnosis and treatment at no cost to you. Our Doctor Match program connects patients with the best care based on location and diagnosis. We also help you schedule your appointment.
  • patient advocates at the mesothelioma center discussing financial resources
    Financial
    We’re committed to helping you find the financial resources you may need. We help you apply for Social Security Disability insurance, access resources such as trust funds and travel grants. We connect you with legal assistance to help you get the compensation you deserve.
  • Danielle DiPietro assisting veterans
    Veterans
    Our VA-accredited Claims Agents help veterans write asbestos exposure summaries, gather evidence and correctly file their VA paperwork. We also assist eligible veterans with denied claims file appeals to help them gain access to their benefits, including disability compensation.

Advocate & Raise Awareness

We’re dedicated to advocating for mesothelioma patients and raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Our platform provides a space for mesothelioma survivors to share their stories of hope, inspiration and activism. Team members at The Mesothelioma Center have collectively walked hundreds of miles in our years of participation in events such as Miles for Meso, and we’ve donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund mesothelioma research.

Giving Back

Since our inception in 2006, The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has donated nearly $640,000 to mesothelioma organizations, cancer centers, patient advocacy groups, college students and veterans service organizations.

Moffitt Cancer Center logo
Ochsner Medical Center logo
Miles for Meso logo
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) logo
  • plus sign in a orange circle
    Asbestos.com Scholarship
    We award $5,000 annually in scholarships to full-time college students whose winning essays help raise awareness of asbestos and mesothelioma.
  • plus sign in a orange circle
    Community Partnership
    Our Community Partnership program offers institutions and organizations tailored materials and presentations from mesothelioma and asbestos experts.

We’re proud to contribute to the many facets of our mesothelioma community. Some of these groups provide vital resources such as: Finding a cure for mesothelioma, free lodging for families of mesothelioma patients, raising awareness of mesothelioma and asbestos and training veterans service officers who help veterans with mesothelioma get the treatment they deserve.

Community

We foster a community of support for mesothelioma patients and family members in our monthly online support group and Facebook page. We create opportunities for people to share personal stories, ask experts questions and develop connections with others. If you’re a current or former caregiver, lost a loved one to mesothelioma or are a mesothelioma survivor, our groups are for you.

  • Support Groups
    Our Mesothelioma Facebook Support Group is a safe place to connect with other patients, survivors and caregivers coping with the disease. A licensed mental health counselor leads our monthly support group to provide patients and caregivers a place to share their stories and connect with others who share this rare diagnosis.
  • Survivor Stories
    Our Wall of Hope honors the strength and determination of mesothelioma survivors and their families. Their personal stories reveal the ups and downs of the cancer journey. Their bravery shines through in volunteering for clinical trials, overcoming challenging side effects and finding ways to beat their prognosis.
  • Webinars
    Our webinars aim to inform, educate and offer helpful resources to mesothelioma patients and their loved ones. Our webinars feature expert panelists, including doctors, registered nurses, dietitians and mesothelioma survivors, who share their expertise, experiences and best tips on how to cope with this rare cancer.
  • Newsletter
    Our newsletter delivers all the latest news about mesothelioma treatment, research breakthroughs and new clinical trials right to your email inbox. You’ll stay on top of all the newest treatment advancements, learn about up-and-coming clinical trials, read about recently approved therapies and discover how other survivors beat the odds.

Our Trusted Partners

The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com is sponsored by law firms and provides free assistance to all visitors regardless of legal representation. Additionally, we receive absolutely no compensation from medical providers.

Weitz Luxenburg
Cooney & Conway Logo
Simmons Hanly Conroy Logo
Nemeroff Law Firm Logo
Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman
The Peterson Firm Logo

Get in Touch

We’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re a patient looking for information on mesothelioma, a veteran with questions about VA benefits or a reporter looking to contact our Editorial Department, we value your questions, comments and feedback.