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Community Notes
In 2015, at the age of 32, I was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. I was introduced to the Mesothelioma
Applied Research Foundation through a fellow mesothelioma patient. Upon my diagnosis I had so many unanswered
questions and wanted to connect to other mesothelioma patients. The Foundation added me to their patient group
and was extremely patient with me, answering a long list of questions about the disease. I am forever grateful to the
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation for their expertise, research, and ongoing support as I battle peritoneal
mesothelioma. As of 2021 I have been a part of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s Board of Directors. I am humbled an honored to serve a Foundation that fully supports patients, their caregivers and those that are
bereaved, as well as continuing research for better treatment options and ultimately, a cure.
My wife, Cris was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in the spring of 2017 and passed away in November of
2019. We were fortunate to find the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation soon after Cris was diagnosed. The
Foundation provided invaluable support and information. Through it we connected with other patients and caregivers, as
we navigated the daunting world of meso which provided inspiration, comfort, and understanding that could not be found
elsewhere. Now, as a bereaved community member, I am forming friendships with others who understand the uniqueness
of losing someone to meso. Serving on the Community Advisory Board has given me the opportunity to make more
connections and give back to this community that has given me so much.
I was first diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in Feb 2019… about 6 months before my wedding. At that time,
I was completely overwhelmed with emotion, questions, and worries. My soon to be wife and I had to leave our
professions as teachers and relocate to receive treatment. It was at this time that I discovered this group, and I don’t
know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t. I began to find people who had answers to some of my questions. People who
had experienced what I was going through… people to ease my 3 am paralytic anxiety. I had found a community.
Since my diagnosis I have married, welcomed my first child, and began to live a life that belonged to me again. I
know this wouldn’t have been possible without this group. Since then, I have had the fortune of serving on the
Community Advisory Board in hopes that I can in some way, shape, or form give back to the community
that has always been there for me and countless others.
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One mission. One community. Your Foundation.
If you are reading this letter, chances are you have been touched in some way by mesothelioma, the cancer that everyone has a hard time saying, spelling, and even understanding. You might be a caregiver who balances work and family and support of a loved one with cancer. Or you may be a patient, navigating the treatment options and struggling to understand the paths ahead. Perhaps you have lost a loved one and wish to give back to this kind community. Or maybe you are a medical professional working tirelessly to care for mesothelioma patients, and research options for treating this lesser-known cancer. No matter your background, you, like me, have a vested interest in the mesothelioma community.
Please let me share my story with you. As a woman in my 50s I was no stranger to the common symptoms of bloating and gas. I already had a history of digestive issues; “tummy troubles” were nothing new to me. In August 2019, I started to have more severe digestive troubles, which I initially brushed off as an IBS flare-up. When the symptoms worsened, I went to my gastroenterologist, expecting to be given a dose of steroids and be on my way. Instead, a physical exam led to an MRI, which led to laparoscopic surgery, which led to the shocking diagnosis of cancer.
I was initially misdiagnosed with ovarian cancer, which I came to learn is not uncommon. Hearing the word cancer threw my world upside down. As I started chemo treatment, I pursued second opinions and specialists. I doggedly pursued the right doctors for me, until in January 2020 my pathology reports were re-read and revealed that my cancer was actually peritoneal mesothelioma. My world again turned upside down.
I went from thinking I had a rare cancer, one that affects about 20,000 people per year, to learning I actually have an even more rare one – mesothelioma is diagnosed in fewer than 3,000 people per year. I felt very, very alone.
And then I found the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
From my first contact with the Foundation, I knew I was connecting to a group that would provide my family with the support, education, and community we needed. The organization’s educational programs, like MesoTV and Meet the Mesothelioma Experts, are an essential resource of knowledge. The support groups give me a much-needed community of fellow meso cancer patients. The research grant program gives me hope for the future. The patient travel grant program gives me comfort that the Foundation cares about helping patients and families through what is likely the toughest time of their lives. The Foundation is a cornerstone of our community. Simply put, I couldn’t fight my fight without the help of this Foundation.
This year-end, I humbly ask for your help so patients like me can continue to have access to these crucial services. Please consider making a contribution to the Foundation at a level right for you. As someone who has greatly benefited from the work of this organization, I can assure you that your support will make a profound impact on the lives of mesothelioma patients and their families, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
With much gratitude,
Laura Friedman McDaniel
