Category: Featured News
Mesothelioma Patients Can Be Thankful for Enjoying the Comforts of Home on Thanksgiving
Dealing with mesothelioma anytime during the year is challenging, but some patients find managing their illness during the holidays even more stressful. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you are able to be home during the holidays, you may find that simply sitting back and enjoying your own decor and your Thanksgiving Day traditions with friends and family can ease your stress.
The support and joy of family on Thanksgiving “fortifies the spirit” and helps someone battling a serious illness feel less isolated, according to an article from Assisted Home Care, Inc. Having friends and family members stop by for a visit or a meal allows the mesothelioma patient to participate in the festivities along with everyone else.
Other reasons for staying in your own home on Thanksgiving when dealing with cancer include:
- You Get A Break: Taking a break when in your own home is easy. If you are visiting someone else, you could feel like a burden if you have to leave early to rest. At home, however, you can slip away, take a nap, and return to the festivities.
- You Can Educate the Family: The holidays may be the only time of the year you see some of your family members. Instead of trying to hide your illness, use the time as a way to educate them about mesothelioma and the demands it can take on you. This can help everyone better understand your daily struggles and let them better understand how to support you.
- Take the Fear Away from the Youngsters: “Younger family members gain meaningful insight and learn new ways to adjust their own perspective when visiting an ill loved one during the holidays,” according to Assisted Home Care. By visiting you in your home, children will be less afraid of the situation, and can learn about your illness right along with the adults. Seeing how their loved ones are affected by sickness “can inspire compassion and empathy” in the children.
If you are in a mesothelioma treatment program, take advantage of the support services and counseling services offered to help you cope with the holidays. They can give you a healthy perspective on your feelings.
Even if you, or your loved one, are in the hospital over Thanksgiving, taking the time to think of something to be grateful for can lighten the mood. Make sure you let your family members know if you are up for guests. Taking care of yourself is important and knowing when to say “no” is critical to your health and well-being.
Warm wishes for an enjoyable Thanksgiving from all of us at MesotheliomaHelp.
Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2017 Introduced in Senate
Linda Reinstein, co-founder and President/CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, scored a victory in her fight for an asbestos ban when a group of senators introduced the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN) of 2017 early this month. Named for Reinstein’s husband who lost his life in 2006 to mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused cancer, the bill aims to have asbestos “taken off the market once and for all.”
Asbestos is a human carcinogen and exposure to the mineral is known to cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers. There is as yet no known cure and researchers are seeking more effective treatments to manage the disease. Approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.
“It’s outrageous that in the year 2017, asbestos is still allowed in the United States,” said Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), one of the sponsors. “It’s time for us to catch up to the rest of the developed world, and ban this dangerous public health threat once and for all.”
Many people erroneously believe asbestos use has been banned in the U.S., but a ruling in 1989 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was overruled. Initially, the EPA issued a final rule included in Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) banning most asbestos-containing products. However, in 1991, most of the original ban on the manufacture, importation, processing, or distribution in commerce for the majority of the asbestos-containing products originally covered in the 1989 rule was overturned, according to the EPA.
Expert Insight
Linda Reinstein, ADAO
“It’s time to make asbestos a thing of the past in this nation once and for all.”
“ADAO is extremely thankful to Senator Merkley for championing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN) of 2017,” said Reinstein in the Nov. 2 press release from Senator Diane Feinstein announcing the bill.
Reinstein has been a tireless advocate for the mesothelioma community, spending countless hours talking to government officials pleading for changes to the antiquated asbestos laws in the U.S. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is a non-profit organization dedicated to education, advocacy, and community, with an end goal of banning asbestos in the U.S. ADAO is the largest independent organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases.
See a PSA video about the hazards of asbestos released by ADAO earlier this year.
According to the press release, the highlights of ARBAN include:
- Amend TSCA to require the EPA to identify and assess known uses of, and exposures to all forms of asbestos.
- Require that, within 18 months of enactment, the EPA must impose restrictions on the use of asbestos necessary to eliminate human or environmental exposure to all forms of asbestos.
- Within one year, disallow the manufacturing, processing, use or distribution of commerce asbestos other than described in EPA’s rule.
“We can no longer afford to wait, Congress must ban asbestos now,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
Visit the ADAO website for more information and to find out how you can support the effort to ban asbestos.
Sources:
- EPA
http://www2.epa.gov/asbestos - ADAO website
http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/archives/19485 - Senator Diane Feinstein
https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A3B14AFF-7679-4CAA-84EE-D5B26914E956
Mesothelioma Researchers Urged To Apply For Fellowship Award For The Early Detection Of Lung Cancer
Many of the articles from MesotheliomaHelp report on the latest breakthroughs in research. But each breakthrough takes a lot of time and a lot of money. Last month, two organizations focused on bringing effective treatments to lung cancer patients announced a partnership for a fellowship award for the early detection of lung cancer. Lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, and all cancers, detected in the early stages brings increased survival to patients.
Free ME From Lung Cancer (FMFLC) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) joined forces in offering the first-ever $200,000 Joint Fellowship Award for the Early Detection of Lung Cancer. According to an Oct. 10 press release, the award supports novel, innovative and translational research with the potential of having a high clinical impact on the early detection of lung cancer.
“This first joint award between FMFLC and the IASLC funds research that will positively impact lung cancer patients,” said Deb Violette, President and Founder of FMFLC. “We are thrilled to be working with the IASLC to help change the lives of lung cancer patients.”
The treatment protocol for pleural mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, is nearly identical to lung cancer. Funding offered to bring a new, effective treatment to lung cancer patients is a benefit to pleural mesothelioma patients as well. A focus on early detection brings even more hope to the mesothelioma community that future patients will enjoy a longer survival.
Patients with pleural mesothelioma do not exhibit many symptoms until the disease is at an advanced, incurable stage. Currently, there are no screening tests for lung cancer or mesothelioma like those available for breast and prostate cancer.
Pleural mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many cancer treatments, leading researchers throughout the world to spend countless hours searching for better ways to treat the incurable cancer. They rely on funding from public and private sources to run their clinical trials and to ensure continuous funding throughout the projects.
“Fellowships like this foster groundbreaking and collaborative research worldwide,” said IASLC Foundation Director, AnnMarie Estrada.
The National Cancer Institute reports that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women with an estimated 222,500 new diagnoses and 155,870 deaths in the U.S. in 2017. Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.
Free ME from Lung Cancer is the only nonprofit based in Maine dedicated solely to raising money for lung cancer research and offering early lung cancer screening for high risk patients who do not have insurance.
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.
The money is awarded over two years with $100,000 given each year. Applications will be accepted until December 31. The award winner will be notified on March 15, 2018.
Visit the IASLC website to learn more.
Support Mesothelioma Caregivers During National Family Caregivers Month
It is hard to understand the challenges caregivers face every day, unless you have been a caregiver yourself. While pleural mesothelioma patients may have the spotlight turned on them this month during National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, now is also a time to shine a light on caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month.
Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma face a long, demanding battle involving countless doctors’ appointments, extensive tests, chemotherapy treatments and radiation therapy. Managing the illness and all the appointments, on top of taking care of day-to-day living needs, takes the help of a dedicated caregiver. Caregivers, typically spouses or other family members, provide nearly constant care for mesothelioma patients, often while trying to care for other family members.
This year, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) recognizes that caregiving can be a 24-hours a day/7-days a week job and has designated the theme for National Family Caregivers Month as “Caregiving Around the Clock.”
According to CAN, more than 65 million family caregivers, or 29% of the U.S. population, “provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year.” Although CAN notes that the average amount of care time is 20 hours per week, those hours are all day long: morning, during the workday, evening, late at night and in the middle of the night – every day.
For mesothelioma patients, the caregivers are vital for helping them follow their medical, dietary and exercise regimens. Caregivers are called upon to deal with the myriad medical appointments, medical bills, updates to other family members and friends as well as ensuring that the household runs efficiently.
President Trump declared in this year’s presidential proclamation: “Caregivers must often be available around the clock, which can require them to forgo or postpone priorities for their own lives. Through sacrificial love, caregivers endure emotional, physical, and financial strain for the sake of another.”
We here at MesotheliomaHelp join President Trump and all Americans in honoring “those whose extraordinary selflessness provides others with independence and comfort.” We offer our appreciation to all the caregivers supporting a loved one as they fight mesothelioma.
Visit the Caregiver Action Network website for caregiving support resources and more information.
Turning a Spotlight on Mesothelioma During Lung Cancer Awareness Month
For many people, November means apple cider, pumpkin pie, and Thanksgiving. In the health and medical fields, November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which emphasizes education and awareness of all things about lung cancer and other cancers affecting the respiratory system – such as mesothelioma.
This year, help out by making November a month to educate others about mesothelioma and lung cancer by taking part in Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Teaching the facts about mesothelioma, its symptoms, and its causes can help patients, family members, and friends better understand the disease and help advocate for the community.
Pleural mesothelioma is caused by inhalation or ingestion of airborne asbestos fibers. The fibers then become lodged in the lining of the chest, where, over the years, they begin to irritate the tissue leading to cancer. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop mesothelioma, but those who do often are not diagnosed until decades after exposure. The treatment protocol for pleural mesothelioma is similar to that of lung cancer.
People who live with pleural mesothelioma, or who care for someone with the cancer, know that educating the public about the struggles facing rare disease sufferers often takes a focused effort from organizations, the government, the medical community and many volunteers.
Early Detection of Mesothelioma is Important
With a vision of “a world where no one dies of lung cancer,” LUNGevity is 100% focused on increasing and improving lung cancer survivorship. In addition, the 501(c)(3) charity focuses on building and sustaining a community for all those affected by lung cancer and through “accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments” the organization aims to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship in lung cancer patients.
The key to increased life expectancy when battling mesothelioma is early detection. When treating mesothelioma patients, the best outcome is achieved with early detection of the disease by increasing treatment options and improving the patients’ quality of life while battling the cancer.
“LUNGevity believes strongly that everyone can drive progress and change for people affected by the disease, whether through research funding, mentoring a fellow lung cancer patient, or organizing and participating in events and activities to raise funds and awareness,” as stated in the 2016 press release kicking off the awareness month.
Know What Questions to Ask Your Mesothelioma Doctor
According to the American Lung Association, “The diagnosis of mesothelioma is very serious and may be overwhelming and affects all aspects of life in a profound way.” The ALA recommends being actively prepared for each healthcare visit by writing down questions to ensure you get everything you need in the short visit, and that your family and caregivers are thoroughly informed about your wants and needs.
- What is the goal of the treatment you are proposing? Is the intent to cure me from the disease or manage its symptoms?
- What are the side effects of the proposed treatment and how will they affect my quality of life?
- Am I a candidate for any clinical trial?
- What are my options for palliative care to address management of my shortness of breath and pain?
- Can you help me and my family make decisions about how I will be treated at the end of my life?
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women with an estimated 222,500 new diagnoses and 155,870 deaths in 2017, according to the National Cancer Institute. Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.
Visit ‘Faces of Mesothelioma’ to read stories from mesothelioma survivors and their family members about how mesothelioma has impacted their lives.
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
We’d like to offer you our in-depth guide, “A Patient’s Guide to Mesothelioma,” absolutely free of charge.
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