Nurse Wishes Mary Hesdorffer Well As She Retires

• Lisa Hyde-Barrett
• Nurse's Corner

The ability to command the respect and admiration of people from all walks of life is not something that is easily accomplished. For the mesothelioma community, Nurse Practitioner, Mary Hesdorffer R.N., of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, is one person who has been central to the mission of raising awareness for this rare cancer, published research, comforted thousands of patients and family members, and earned the respect of mesothelioma research scientists and clinicians.

As the Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Mary has dedicated herself to raising funds, and is a huge advocate, for the mesothelioma community to fund research. It would be impossible to list all of the accomplishments that Mary has achieved over the years. What sums it up is a tribute from a patient’s family member on the Meso Foundation’s web site, “Mary took the confusion out of the diagnosis.”

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has an annual conference that includes scientists, researchers, patients and families. The foundation, the only non- profit for mesothelioma is dedicated to research to finding a cure for mesothelioma. This year the conference will be held March 27 – 29 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

In addition to hearing the latest updates on mesothelioma research, the conference will be a time to wish Mary Hesdorffer well. Mary has been with the Meso Foundation since the beginning. In her various roles over the years, she has been the one that the mesothelioma patients and families know. With countless hours, phone calls, and time dedicated to the mesothelioma community, Mary has been the go-to person for information, support and advocacy. Whether speaking at conferences, conducting support groups or reaching out to patients, Mary has been a constant, familiar face for mesothelioma families and the medical community.  Everyone in the mesothelioma community knows Mary.

We wish Mary well in the next phase of her life. She will never be replaced or forgotten for all she has done, and will most certainly continue to do, for the mesothelioma community. Well done!