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READ MOREThe 11th International Conference of the Mesothelioma Interest Group Begins
September 13, 2012
| Mesothelioma
Pictured Above: Dr. David Sugarbaker and Baron and Budd representative Susan Knape
Today, the 11th International Conference of the Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig) kicks off in Boston, Mass. The three-day conference is a meeting of international medical experts and more than 500 delegates from across the globe. Participants will be gathering to discuss and collaborate on medical research and development, to raise awareness and to discuss the central topics important to those affected by mesothelioma.
The iMig conference is held every other year in a different country, with past years being held in countries like Japan, The Netherlands and France. Since the first meeting in Paris in 1991, iMig has been the catalyst for much fruitful collaboration and created an international dialogue on mesothelioma. The conference has fostered the interests and addressed the central issues that are significant to the international mesothelioma community such as thoracoscopy, early diagnosis, comparison of national mesothelioma registers as well as others.
This year, the iMig conference will center its focus on central topics including: imaging, immunology, immunotherapy, pathology and surgery to name just a few.
Mesothelioma has a latency period of up to 50 years before the disease develops. The disease is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, a cheap and heat resistant material that was immensely popular in the U.S until the late 1970’s. Often, mesothelioma victims are unaware that they have been exposed to asbestos and do not know that they are suffering from the disease. Today, the 2012 iMig Conference will convene to keep educating those affected, to raise awareness and to keep working towards a cure.
Over 107,000 people die each year from preventable diseases. In the United States, an estimated 2,500 people die from mesothelioma and another 7,500 die from asbestos cancers and respiratory diseases. Worse yet, asbestos is still legal and lethal in the USA. The only two ways to end asbestos-caused diseases is prevention and a cure.
Baron and Budd is committed to working with leaders in the mesothelioma community to help end the fatal disease. The firm has committed its resources and efforts to aiding those in the forefront of medical research and development. Baron and Budd also sponsored Linda Reinstein, founder and CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), who is currently attending the 2012 iMig conference. Reinstein is a dynamic and influential presence in the mesothelioma community and has been advocating for asbestos victims since her husband was diagnosed with the disease in 2003. The firm looks forward to hearing about her experience and the collective innovations that come from the iMig conference.
Baron and Budd was also a cornerstone donor to the International Mesothelioma Program (IMP), which was founded by iMig conference organizing chair and founding member of IMP Dr. David Sugarbaker. Dr. Sugarbaker greatly improved the survival rates of mesothelioma patients through the implementation of extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiation. This was one of the first major breakthroughs in mesothelioma treatment.
To follow Linda Reinstein and get up-to-date information about iMig, follow her on twitter @Linda ADAO, or “like” her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Linda.Reinstein.ADAO.