Baron & Budd Marks Mesothelioma Awareness Day

Mesothelioma Awareness Day takes place every year on September 26. The day was established in 2004 by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation to bring attention and awareness to this devastating cancer. Increased awareness stimulates much needed funding for important research to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for the 3,000 new patients who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis each year.

In 2009, a proclamation was made in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, which federally recognized September 26^th as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Such official recognition has been instrumental in boosting funding for research into better understanding and management of this incurable disease.

What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to microscopic fibers of the mineral asbestos. Mesothelioma cancer of the lungs (known as pleural mesothelioma) accounts for approximately 90 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses. Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty breathing, malaise, and fatigue. Symptoms present themselves when mesothelioma cells grow and spread within the lining of the lungs. Simple acts like coughing, breathing, and swallowing can cause severe pain, giving this hard-hitting cancer its reputation as one of the most difficult to endure, as well as to treat. A grim mesothelioma prognosis (most end in death within a year of diagnosis) only compounds a victim’s pain.

How Do People Get Mesothelioma?

Asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested when they become airborne during the cutting, scraping, sanding, sawing or grinding of products containing asbestos, or by laundering the clothes of someone who performed these tasks. People who develop mesothelioma are often surprised by the diagnosis and may not initially correlate the finding with asbestos exposure because mesothelioma takes a long time to develop. In most cases, the amount of time between a person’s initial exposure to asbestos and the development of asbestos cancer — the “latency period” — can range from 15 to 60 years or more. That is why some people who were exposed to products containing asbestos decades ago are just now developing diseases like mesothelioma cancer.

How to Mark Mesothelioma Awareness Day

Here are a few things you can do to help bring awareness to this devastating disease and the grim toll it takes on families everywhere:

• Attend a fundraiser. There are many virtual fundraisers taking place this year, which provide support for ongoing research toward finding a cure for mesothelioma.
• On September 26, wear blue! Any blue will do.
• Tell people about mesothelioma and your family’s experience with the disease.
• Take photos of yourself wearing blue and post them on social media with the tag #curemeso.

Who Should You Turn to for Information?

Baron & Budd’s asbestos litigation lawyers were among the first in the country to take on an asbestos-related case. Now, more than 40 years later, our dedication to helping mesothelioma victims is stronger than ever. Today Baron & Budd’s team of dedicated mesothelioma lawyers works across the nation, winning many precedent-setting cases and handling many mesothelioma claims. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are likely entitled to compensation from those responsible. Make sure you have the best mesothelioma attorneys on your side throughout the legal process.

If you are considering filing a lawsuit for your mesothelioma diagnosis, it is important to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. Baron & Budd can help. Contact us online or call us at 855-280-7664 for a free and confidential evaluation and to learn more about your legal options.