On Monday, June 17, the Wall Street Journal Published the article “For One Asbestos Victim, Justice Is a Moving Target,” about Bill and Karen McQueen. Bill and Karen have been friends of the Foundation throughout Bill’s diagnosis and treatment, and we were deeply saddened by Bill’s recent passing.
What follows is the response submitted to the Wall Street Journal from the Meso Foundation’s executive director Mary Hesdorffer, Nurse Practitioner.
“Words cannot express the suffering that a diagnosis of mesothelioma inflicts upon a family. The McQueen family contacted us early in their struggle and together we researched their best options and provided support and guidance during their journey. The litigation issue is complex, and certainly outside of my area of expertise but I would like to refocus your attention on the lack of effective treatments to stop this disease in its tracks. Mesothelioma is acquired through exposure to asbestos. There is no disputing this. What we do not know is how to prevent this disease, or how to pick it up in its earliest stages when it might be more amendable to treatment. The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (curemeso.org) focuses its energies on funding peer-reviewed research (grants totaling over $8.2 million to date) projects which focus on prevention, early detection, and treatment, as well as basic science, as there is much we have yet to learn about the natural history of mesothelioma.
The Meso Foundation looks forward to the day when a full ban on asbestos will be inacted by the United States government. However, the Foundation also understands that no law can remove all asbestos from the environment, including asbestos naturally present in the ground, or asbestos present in the attics of over 30 million homes in the United States. Given the long latency period between exposure and disease development, even if a complete ban were inacted today, thousands of Americans would still be at risk for mesothelioma. For all those who have been exposed in the past and will be exposed in the future, research to find better treatments and a cure for mesothelioma is the only way to ensure that asbestos becomes less dangerous and less deadly.”
If you are passionate about raising mesothelioma awareness, join our cause today. Help make a difference in mesothelioma research and treatment by showing your support. Join our cause now.
