Mesothelioma Warriors Offer New Year’s Resolutions

• Nancy Meredith
• Family

As another year kicks off, many of us take the time to reflect back on last year and vow to make the New Year better than last. People say things like, “This year I’m really going to lose weight,” or “I’m going to find that job that I’ve always wanted.” For patients and their families battling mesothelioma, however, just making it through another day, or month, is all they hope to accomplish.

MesotheliomaHelp.org reached out to several long-term mesothelioma survivors and asked them what their resolutions are for 2014. Jan Egerton, Lou Williams and Mavis Nye all initially responded saying, “I want to be here for another year.” All three of them underwent another cycle of chemotherapy and 2013, and faced more than their share of bad days. But, with 2014 here, they are positive and upbeat and offered up resolutions to encourage others to stay positive and to keep fighting.

Jan Egerton has offered glimpses into the daily struggles she has encountered over the last year as she continues to battle mesothelioma. Jan is entering her tenth year of diagnosis, and as she fights breathlessness and exhaustion she vows to keep fighting and to be around for her husband for many more years.

Jan’s hope for 2014 is:

• To fight with everything I have to ensure that I will be celebrating New Year’s in 2014.
• For everyone in the mesothelioma community, whether you are a patient or a caregiver, to keep a positive attitude and to remember that for every bad day there will be a good one.

Mavis Nye has been fighting mesothelioma for four and one half years. She said previously, “I love getting up each day because it is a new start, a fresh start and I will see another day.” She said although she used to start every year promising to lose weight, this year is different.

In the New Year, Mavis Nye will work to:

• Raise even more awareness of mesothelioma, and to fight for more money for research.
• Carry on helping mesothelioma warriors to travel the pathway of this disease, but to give them strength as I show them I have survived longer than my oncologist predicted.

Lou Williams faces 2014 with the same positive attitude that has helped keep her battling both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. While focusing on her own health is critical, Lou also believes raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos is just as important.

For 2014, Lou will raise a toast:

• To me, all the other mesothelioma warriors around the world, and to those who we have lost along the way (including my dad) through this deadly asbestos cancer. I will continue to raise much needed asbestos awareness, advocacy, education and give support on a global scale. Asbestos is deadly, there is no safe asbestos!
• To me and my beautiful husband Keith, and to all the other carers and past carers, partners and loved ones who have been/are there with us for the long haul of living with mesothelioma – a journey that is a tough one with lots of highs and lows.
• To being here in 12 months time and to living well in the meantime – doing what we love – travelling, spending time with family and friends and fitting as much into our lives as we do now!

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2014 to everyone fighting mesothelioma!