Mesothelioma has often been classified as a cancer that only affects older people, as the average age of diagnosis for pleural is 72 and peritoneal is 67. This assumption of advanced age being a factor has led to misdiagnosis among younger patients. The demographic of meso patients is consistently changing as more women and younger people are diagnosed earlier. As these younger patients are diagnosed, more challenges and issues arise that were not seen previously. These younger patients are starting or building their careers, starting or raising families, and have not yet accumulated savings. For this reason, the Bret A. Rosenthal Patient Assistance Fund was created.
Bret was just starting his 
career when he was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma at the age of twenty-three. He spent the next eight years fighting cancer while still maintaining a successful career and living life to the fullest. During his mesothelioma journey, Bret found vital support and guidance from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, particularly from the dedicated oncology nurse and fellow patients whom he met through support groups.
Before Bret’s passing, he expressed a heartfelt desire to give back to others facing similar struggles. In response to his wish, the Bret A. Rosenthal Patient Assistance Fund was established. This fund serves as a tribute to Bret’s memory and aims to assist other young patients dealing with mesothelioma by providing essential support services, financial aid for comfort assistance, and access to resources.
This fund is available to younger mesothelioma patients, 49 and under, as they
navigate treatment while also trying to manage a career, a family, living away from a support network, or financial burdens without savings to fall back on.
A few of the services available to be reimbursed under this fund are approved integrative medicine, fertility storage, mental health services, childcare, respite services for caregivers, and costs for long-distance caregiver/family support.
Interested in applying? Find out more about the Bret A Rosenthal Patient Assistance Fund here or contact the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation at (703)879-3824 or [email protected].
Bret’s legacy of helping others and spreading a little magic everywhere he went will live on through this fund.
