Reflecting on Five Years of Writing About Mesothelioma

• Joseph Belluck
• Faces of Mesothelioma

I remember the first time I saw the tribute page to my father, Donnie Smitley, on this site. The pride that I felt, the emotions that barreled through my heart, were immense. It is such a beautiful tribute to this man who was so simple, yet so influential. It was amazing to see this influence, even after his passing.

This is a great time to thank everyone at MesotheliomaHelp for their support and help over these years. It’s hard to believe that I submitted my first blog in October 2012, five years ago! What an honor to have been able to share my family’s story with you for this long. Through my writings, I have had the honor to hear from others in the mesothelioma community who have been through similar situations. I have gotten to be a sounding board, friend, and even an “expert” (although I wouldn’t call myself that), to many.

From the bottom of my heart, please know that the gratitude I feel for this opportunity is sincere. I hope to continue to share for many years to come… until we find a cure for this awful disease.

Visit Don Smitley’s tribute page on MesotheliomaHelp.