Bonnie Anderson is a 19-year mesothelioma survivor. She discusses her peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis in 2002, her history with multiple cancers, and her family’s advocacy efforts and their support of the Foundation’s peer-review mesothelioma research grant program.
In this interview, her husband, John, and daughter, Darcy Christel, join Bonnie. Initially, she recalls her irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) misdiagnosis and treatment. Eventually, her primary care doctor realized she had mesothelioma, his first-ever case. As a result, he quickly connected her to a mesothelioma specialist for a consultation. Around this time in the early days of the internet, she also found the newly created Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. In consultation with the Foundation, Bonnie underwent HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy). A new treatment option at the time. John describes the insurance hurdles he overcame to ensure Bonnie’s treatment was covered.
Following three years of scans, Bonnie was diagnosed with another rare cancer called hairy cell leukemia. She was successfully treated and has been in remission from that cancer for 15 years. In 2016, a cancerous spot was discovered on her lung and she underwent surgery. Two months after that, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy. Shortly after that, Bonnie was diagnosed with a rare lung disease related to the lung cancer spots. Finally, in 2018, Bonnie found out she had kidney disease and cancer.
To give back, the Andersons personally fund mesothelioma research through The Anderson Family Grant. They have also established themselves as leading advocates within the mesothelioma community. Bonnie leads the annual charge to secure Mesothelioma Awareness Day proclamations at the federal, state, and local level. She has also spoken on mesothelioma survivor panels at the Foundation’s International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma.
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MesoTV is the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s recorded video series covering pertinent conversations impacting the mesothelioma community. You can learn more at curemeso.org/mesotv.
