Author: Joseph Belluck
Summer is a Good Time for a Mesothelioma Fundraiser
Summertime is a great time to plan an event to fundraise for mesothelioma causes!
If you’re looking for some ideas, here are just a few:
BBQ: Hold a barbecue dinner at your local community organization, park, or Church! Ask businesses in your area to donate food, drinks, paper plates, etc.
5K Run or Walk: These events can be a bit more involved, but if you ask, people are always more than willing to help. Find out if there is a race organization in your area who can help you, or talk to volunteers of similar events. They can be a wealth of knowledge.
Festivals or Carnivals: If there are events like these in your area, ask if you can set up a vendor table. Pass out information, collect donations, raffle off some baskets (this has always worked well for my family) and raise some funds!
Collect at local businesses: Ask local businesses if you can do a collection day for your cause. Stand outside the business with a can for a few hours, pass out information, and you will be surprised how generous people will be!
Hold a golf outing: If you’re a golfer, or know lots of people who like to golf, take advantage of the courses in your area and ask if they would help you plan an event. Here’s a perfect excuse to play 18 holes!
These are just a couple of ideas for fundraisers, but the possibilities are endless. Take advantage of the warmer months and help to find a cure for mesothelioma!
Family Adjusts to a Slower-Paced Life After Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Before Dad’s diagnosis in January of 2013, my parents’ lives were upbeat and busy. They worked opposite shifts, Mom during the day and Dad evenings from 4pm-11pm. Since they didn’t see each other much during the week, weekends were their thing. Whether they were working in the yard or going on a day trip somewhere, they always had something planned.
Our familyare huge sports’ fans, and we can all thank Dad for that. We always made the time to go to different sporting events. Each fall we would usually go to two Philadelphia Eagles games. One game Dad would never miss was the Eagles vs. Giants game, and he would only take the boys. That was their bonding time and we girls had to stay home.
As a family we would go to another one together, and we would always have a good time taking the bus to Philly, grilling with the other people on the bus trip, dancing to the band Mr. Greengenes (the Eagles pep band a few years ago) and, of course, watching the game. Now, Dad enjoys watching games in the comfort of his own home.
My brother, Andrew, and Dad would also go to the NASCAR race in the Poconos each year. This was always their thing to do with my dad’s racing friends. Unfortunately this year, he won’t be taking Andrew; instead Andrew is now taking a friend. I’m not sure if Dad thinks it would be too much, or has just lost interest.
My parents also always vacationed somewhere each summer. Summer of 2011 was their last big trip to Key West with my mom’s oldest sister and her husband: Aunt Sandy and Uncle Anthony. I know they had a wonderful time boating at sunset, going on a breakfast cruise to a small island, listening to bands on Duval Street and just enjoying the sunshine together. Summer 2012 saw them head to the Jersey Shore where they stayed in a condo for a few days and then came to stay with me for a few days in my shore house. We spent long days on the beach and enjoyed nice dinners at night followed by listening and dancing to a band. Now though, I’ve noticed that even going out to dinner is sometimes too much for Dad. Also, he often doesn’t have an appetite either to eat a big meal.
The last get-away my parents had right before Dad’s diagnosis was a trip to Montawk for their 37th wedding anniversary in September of 2012. They took a bus trip and visited my dad’s favorite things – lighthouses and wineries, took mansion tours and enjoyed a few nice dinners. Of course they didn’t announce to anyone about celebrating their anniversary since they aren’t the flashy type. To make one of their dinners a little bit more special, I sent them a bottle of wine to be presented to them at dinner. The dinner was with the group they were with on the bus trip, so everyone saw what they were presented with it and they all congratulated them. They had a great time at dinner.
I think trips to these extents are over. Living with Mesothelioma limits you to much calmer and slow paced activities. We haven’t figured out yet how to alter doing trips that Dad can handle. He gets out of breath very easily and doesn’t have much stamina to do long days. It’s time to figure out things for him to be able to do to start enjoying life again.
Even After Losing Father to Mesothelioma Daughter Still Sees Beauty in Life
With Spring (finally) upon us, it seems like a good time to reflect on things. Seeing new life blooming all around me reminds me that there is beauty even after the darkness and cold of Winter. The same goes for life in general.
My family has been through a lot of ups and downs since my Dad’s mesothelioma diagnosis in January of 2012. We had almost a whole year of him being cancer free and able to do most of what he always had done. I thank God that we got to have that healthy time with him before he had to start treatment again. When Dad passed away in October, 2013, I wondered if I would ever be able to have a happy memory again. It turns out that I can.
Just when I start to get down or feel sad, God has a way of making me feel better. It’s so easy to become caught up in your problems that you forget to see the joy right in front of your eyes. The beauty of life is too much to ignore.
Do I miss my Dad at every second of every day? Absolutely. The key I’ve found is to still include him in my daily life. I talk to him all the time (and I mean, all the time) and fill him in on what’s happening. I ask him to watch over my family and to pray for us.
It’s tough to remember sometimes, but God has a perfect plan for each of us. We may never understand it, but perhaps that’s just what He intended. We are all in good hands, so try to relax and enjoy the world around you. Make every moment count and smile… you might be the beauty that someone sees!
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Take Time to Grieve for a Family Member’s Loss to Mesothelioma
Several weeks ago Lisa Hyde-Barrett, thoracic nurse, offered her insight into grieving the loss of a loved one. Today, Jennifer Gelsick provides her first-hand account of her grieving process when her father, Don Smitley, passed away from mesothelioma.
Everyone grieves differently. Some people find it easier to deal with grief by jumping in to projects; others may need time to themselves. The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to mourn and that there are people there to help you if you feel it too overwhelming to handle on your own.
For me, being around people helped me tremendously as I grieved Dad’s passing. My mind tends to wander, and being occupied with the company of my family and friends allowed me to think of something else other than the fact that I am now, in fact, without a father. I did have trouble returning phone calls though. It took me a while to be able to answer questions and come up with some sort of acceptable answer for the standard question, “How are you doing?” The truth is I didn’t know how I was doing; I was just going through the motions for quite some time.
Getting back into work was difficult. It was a sort of a double-edged sword; it was a much needed distraction, yet I wasn’t ready or capable to focus in on anything quite yet. There were a lot of oxymorons with me right after Dad passed. I wanted to be around people, but I had a really hard time with the looks of pity that people gave me. Answering questions about what happened was terrible for me, but a necessary evil, so to speak.
I don’t believe that time can heal all wounds like the old adage says. I do believe that it can help you find some sense of clarity and help you to find peace. The human spirit wants to survive, and somewhere deep inside ourselves, we all have a desire to carry on. It’s up to each of us as individuals to find that place of balance. Remember that no one can tell you how to grieve, just be true to yourself and reach out to others for anything you need.
The Dangers of Asbestos Should Not be Brushed Aside
My Dad passed away at the age of 57 from mesothelioma. This disease is a direct consequence of exposure to asbestos. I know I don’t usually say much about asbestos, but there are some things that need to be stated.
Asbestos is still legal in the United States. To me, this is unacceptable. How can we still be allowing this material to be used when it has sickened or killed so many? It seems to me that the majority of people still take asbestos exposure lightly. Honestly, I wasn’t familiar with the material until my father was diagnosed with mesothelioma, so I was one of those people. The key is to educate the general public about its dangers.
Since Dad’s diagnosis, I have had people tell me that asbestos is nothing to be afraid of. “It’s nothing! I’ve been around it forever and I’m fine. People just overreact about it!” I cannot form a concrete sentence about how much it pains me to hear these things. It has understandably become something inherently personal to me. Knowing what my family and so many others have gone through, it honestly feels like a slap in the face. Protect yourself! Don’t let your family go through what mine has.
Get educated, please. If you think something is asbestos, leave it alone and then ask questions about it. Even though it used to be accepted as a wonderful, safe product, history has proven that to be wildly incorrect. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Take action and help to eradicate mesothelioma forever.
Jennifer Gelsick has started a blog about advocating for the mesothelioma community. See more about her efforts to help find a cure for mesothelioma .
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
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It contains a wealth of information and resources to help you better understand the condition, choose (and afford) appropriate treatment, and exercise your legal right to compensation.
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