Patient Advocates at the Mesothelioma Center

A Recognized Mesothelioma Resource

The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com is the nation's most trusted mesothelioma resource. Since 2006, we have united top doctors, cancer centers and survivors to build a community that serves families affected by mesothelioma. Each year, half of all newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients reach out to us for guidance and support.

Digital Health Awards Logo and @Trust AACI Certified

The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has been honored with the American Accreditation Commission International’s @TRUST certification, the world’s leading certification program for medical web content. The designation assures visitors that our medical information is high-quality, objective and transparent.

Our talented writers have won multiple Digital Health Awards since 2018 for their research and reporting on asbestos and mesothelioma. In 2023, registered nurse and writer Sean Marchese won Silver Awards for "State of Mesothelioma 2023" and "The Future of Cancer Treatment: Using Technology to Find a Cure." For 25 years, the Digital Health Awards has honored the top digital health resources for patients and health professionals.

Karen Selby, Director of Patient Advocates at the Mesothelioma Center

Medical institutions and organizations have awarded our professional contributors an array of honors for bedside manner, surgical expertise, medical research and more. Our Patient Advocates, Medical Outreach team and Veterans Department have participated in mesothelioma fundraisers, awareness campaigns and medical symposiums. They’ve raised research funds through the Miles for Meso 5K and connected with experts at the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma.

Our Veterans Department offers training on asbestos VA claims at conferences throughout the country, including the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers Conference.

The extraordinary staff at The Mesothelioma Center uses their diverse expertise and experience to guide patients and their families to resources and support that make a difference in their journey with mesothelioma.

Our Award-Winning Authors

Our team of award-winning authors have won many awards and accreditations for their research on mesothelioma and asbestos-related illnesses. They have also been featured in high-quality publications such as The New York Times.
Aaron Munz, Director of Veterans Department speaking with other patient advocates at the Mesothelioma Center

Professional Certifications

Members of our staff have received a wide variety of professional certifications and licenses. Our staff has certification or licensure in medicine, nursing, oncology patient navigation, nutrition, mental health, asbestos litigation and asbestos abatement.

Aaron Munz
  • VA-Accredited Claims Agent
Vanessa Blanco
  • Certified Oncology Patient Navigator
Danielle DiPietro
  • VA-Accredited Claims Agent
  • Pursuing Financial Advocacy Certification
Joe Lahav, Esquire
  • Juris Doctor, University of Florida College of Law
Sean Marchese, MS, RN
  • Licensed and Registered Nurse
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Certification
  • Certificates in Health Literacy Awarded by the CDC
Dana Nolan, MS, LMHC
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and Qualified Parenting Coordinator
Tejal Parekh, RDN, LDN
  • Registered & Licensed Dietitian
Karen Selby, RN
  • Registered Nurse
Snehal Smart, M.D.
  • Medical Doctor, St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine
Cara Tompot
  • Social Media for Health Care Certification, Mayo Clinic
Michelle Whitmer
  • OSHA Asbestos Standard for the Construction Industry
  • AHERA Asbestos Awareness Training
  • Health Literacy Certificates Awarded by the CDC
Vanessa Blanco preparing a Mesothelioma Packet at the Mesothelioma Center

Memberships and Collaborations

Our staff maintain professional memberships with a variety of institutions in medicine, research, law and publishing. We’ve also collaborated with outstanding organizations to provide resources to the mesothelioma community.

Organizations we’ve worked with include the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Other collaborations include the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Moffitt Cancer Center and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

Professional Memberships:
  • Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine
  • Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators
  • American Lung Association
  • American Medical Writers Association
  • American Nurses Association
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • American Thoracic Society
  • Association of Community Cancer Centers
  • Association of Oncology Social Work
  • D.C. Bar
  • Florida Bar
  • International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
  • Illinois Woman’s Press Association
  • Lung Force
  • National Association of Science Writers
  • Society of Clinical Research Associates
  • Yoga Alliance
image showing positive reviews

Accreditations & Reviews

The certifications and accreditations awarded to The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com validate the accuracy of our content, show our dedication to privacy and formally recognize us as a trustworthy organization.

  • bbb logo
    Better Business Bureau A+ rating
  • AACI logo
    @TRUST Certification, American Accreditation Commission International
  • truste logo
    TRUSTe Certified Privacy Accreditation
  • veteran affairs logo
    Accredited Claims Agents, Department of Veterans Affairs

Since 2006, the people we’ve helped have reviewed our services on Google, Facebook and with the Better Business Bureau.

Just want to thank you and commend you on your role as an advocate during the process of filing a claim with the military. Positively you made all the difference for the entire process. Your prompt return of phone calls, your expedient sending of required forms (ugh) and most importantly your moral support. My wife and I tackled the forms one day at a time, and that was our method of plowing through it. Before I knew it, the package was ready! Many thanks for being there for us!”

Jack and Penny Keyian

You become accustomed to putting your guard up, and not wanting to to trust, especially when it comes to dealing with online help. When I signed up for this, I did not expect the level of care that was provided to me and my family by Dr. Smart. She has really taken a devastating situation and turned it into something that is manageable, and has given us hope, in ways I didn’t think possible.”

Guinevere Valles

My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respects what your family is experiencing and who goes the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance was provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.”

LaShawn

The professionalism and expert advice extended by Asbestos.com was truly a blessing as we dealt with my father’s mesothelioma illness. The advocacy group’s expert guidance and advice dealing with the Veterans Administration was a miracle for my family. Thank you for everything.”

Steve Reeck