Asbestos.com Announces Miles for Meso Platinum Sponsorship

This year marks the 15th annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Run and 3K Fun Run/Walk in Alton, Illinois. The event occurs in person and virtually on Saturday, Sept. 23. Miles for Meso benefits thousands throughout the mesothelioma community by highlighting asbestos exposure and its dangers. 

The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com will be a platinum sponsor this year, the highest level. By pledging more than $5,000 to the event, the support from Asbestos.com will help fund the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, which supports mesothelioma research and awareness. 

Legacy of Sponsorship From The Mesothelioma Center

Asbestos.com was also a platinum sponsor of Miles for Meso in 2022, raising $5,800 to support research, advocacy and awareness. The organization has 74 participants on its team this year, including employees, family members and survivors. 

As they have done in years past, Patient Advocates from The Mesothelioma Center will travel to Illinois for the race. The team at Asbestos.com will also walk together at Lake Baldwin in Orlando, Florida.

“The event in Illinois brings out current patients, survivors and family members who have lost a loved one,” said Danielle DiPietro, a Patient Advocate and VA-accredited claims agent with The Mesothelioma Center. 

“It is great to be with this community, and it’s also very emotional to sit back and realize mesothelioma’s devastating effect on so many,” DiPietro reflected. 

Due to COVID-19, Miles for Meso moved to a virtual event in 2020 but never lost steam in its fundraising attempts. As a sponsor that year, The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com raised more than $3,550 in contributions. 

Participants share photos and stories across social media during Miles for Meso each year with the hashtag #MilesforMeso. It’s another impactful way to bring more awareness of mesothelioma. 

“Events like Miles for Meso will continue to support research for finding a cure as well as raise awareness about asbestos and hopefully banning it in the U.S.,” said DiPietro. 

Benefits of Fundraising

Since the first Miles for Meso in 2009, the series of races and walks that take place nationwide have raised more than $890,000 for research and awareness. The dedication to consistent fundraising is vital to the progress toward new mesothelioma treatments. 

National law firm Simmons Hanly Conroy sponsored the first event over a decade ago, and the in-person race continues to be held just outside its headquarters in Illinois. Every year, virtual participants join worldwide, including those from countries particularly affected by asbestos-related diseases such as Australia, Canada and South Africa. Registration is now open.

“We look forward to welcoming back all our friends and neighbors for this fun event that is so important for helping to continue providing resources to support critical mesothelioma research and awareness,” said John Simmons of Simmons Hanly Conroy. 

Every year, proceeds benefit the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. Founded in 2004, ADAO aims to give asbestos victims and awareness advocates a platform to work toward a global asbestos ban. Last year, Miles for Meso raised $40,000 for ADAO. 

“We are fiercely reminded that it is much more than a race. It’s part of a larger movement for truth and justice,” said ADAO co-founder Linda Reinstein.

“Likewise, Mesothelioma Awareness Day is much more than a date on a calendar. It’s part of ADAO’s daily mission to prevent asbestos exposure and eliminate mesothelioma and other deadly asbestos-caused diseases,” Reinstein added.