The Meso Foundation staff has been hard at work in their new location in the Washington DC area raising awareness about mesothelioma and advocating for research funding and a ban on asbestos.
On February 18, Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana introduced a resolution designating the first week of April as “National Asbestos Awareness Week.” The Meso Foundation sent a letter thanking Senators Baucus and Tester for their introduction and emphasized the importance of funding meso research to find a cure for this disease.
The Meso Foundation also participated in a survey by the National Health Council Survey on the federal budget process to inform the National Health Council’s development of public testimony to be submitted to the Senate on the importance of sustaining funding of the agencies housed within the US Department of Health and Human Services. The House has not confirmed how they will be accepting testimony, but the National Health Council will submit testimony there as well when possible.
The Meso Foundation recently sent an action alert for community members to contact their legislators urging members of Congress to sustain funding for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) through the Department of Defense. Mesothelioma has been named a program of interest thanks to the advocacy of the Meso Foundation community. Over 300 members of the Meso Foundation community have already taken action! The Action Alert is still available on the Meso Foundation website, please click here to take action if you have not already!
