As we dive into 2025, we want to bring new and exciting patient services and educational pieces to the mesothelioma community.
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new monthly zoom series, 2025 Spotlight Sessions. Each session is designed to bring a relevant, insightful, and empowering discussion to the community. Each month we will feature a speaker and topic that speaks directly to our mesothelioma community’s unique needs and experiences.
These sessions will be presented on Zoom and will be discussion-based with each presenter. These will not be recorded and will stay safe and confidential spaces for patients and their families. This series will look similar on Zoom to our support groups but will function much differently.
The monthly spotlight series was created to offer a look at issues that are relevant to the mesothelioma community. Each month, there will be a guest speaker who will share valuable insights on a topic and encourage engagement from participants. This series will create a space for shared knowledge and support, while helping our mesothelioma community to navigate their journeys with greater understanding and connection.
We’re kicking things off the series in February with a special session specifically for the men in our community. Joe Bullock from Man Up to Cancer will be the guest speaker.
Joe Bullock is COO of a non-profit foundation, Man Up to Cancer, whose mission is to emotionally support men diagnosed with cancer. They have found, as well as studies have shown, that men tend to withdraw emotionally when they’re diagnosed with cancer. Their foundation seeks to change how men approach cancer through multiple support programs.
Joe was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and went through surgery and chemotherapy. He states that “one of the toughest parts of my cancer journey was facing the depression I found that came along with the treatments I endured to help me survive cancer.” Joe finished treatment in 2019 and said “I made the decision that cancer might be done with me, but I’m not done with cancer. I wanted to focus on the lack of mental health support in the cancer community for men, but I realized I could not do this alone.” He, along with Trevor Maxwell another cancer warrior, started Man up to Cancer. Joe lives in North Carolina with his wife of 32 years, Michelle, his two adult children Joshua age 20, Megan age 25, and 3 rescue dogs, one of which is also a cancer survivor.
If you would like to participate in the Spotlight Series but don’t receive our emails, please contact [email protected].
