Meso Foundation to Host Live Stream of 2013 Symposium

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s 2013 Symposium is an event for mesothelioma patients, survivors, and family and friends of victims. The event is an opportunity to gather together to raise awareness for the disease, discuss the latest news and developments, share stories and hear from mesothelioma experts.

The conference is being held at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas on March 7 and 8. However, it’s understandable that not everyone can travel to Las Vegas to attend the event in person, especially people currently suffering from mesothelioma and undergoing treatments. For those interested in taking part in the event who are not able to attend in person, the Meso Foundation will host a live stream of several sessions of the conference.

The Simmons Firm is proud to be a sponsor of the 2013 Meso Foundation Symposium, and urges all individuals who can’t travel but are interested in the event to view the live stream online. This live stream will feature portions of the conference agenda, including topics on:

• Genetics and mesothelioma
• Support panels for mesothelioma patients, caregivers and those who lost a loved one
• Legislative updates
• Details on research, new drugs, and clinical trials
• Fundraising information
• And more

The full live stream will be available for viewing here on March 7 and 8. While watching the conference through the live stream, viewers will also be able to participate in a live chat, discussing the topics and details with other viewers and members of the Meso Foundation staff.

The Meso Foundation staff will also be live tweeting throughout the event, so join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #curemeso.

For more information on the 2013 Meso Foundation Symposium, contact the Meso Foundation or visit CureMeso.org now.

Mesothelioma Symposium To Feature Popular Event Fundraising Session

Six Steps to Fundraise for Mesothelioma Research

In 2007, St. Louis resident Shelly Kozicki was the first person to start a named grant through the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation in honor of her husband Craig who was diagnosed with mesothelioma.

In 2009, Craig passed away, but Shelly has continued the fight for both of them. This year she surpassed raising more than $250,000 for research during her Quartermania Fundraiser in October.

During last year’s Mesothelioma Symposium, she and Erica Ruble presented a session entitled, “The Six Steps of Fundraising.”  

Shelly told attendees that she took her anger and turned it into action. She hopes her story will motivate others to get involved as well. A summary of the session is outlined below.

Step 1 | Pick an Event Type

Pick an event that corresponds to the amount of time and work you can do. Writing a letter campaign and seeking donations from family and friends is much less time consuming than organizing a golf tournament or triva night.

Step 2 | Organize the Logistics

Pick your date, avoiding busy holidays, and set a budget. Remember you have to spend money to make money.

Step 3 | Choose a Venue

Location is a key factor. Is it easily accessible for everyone who you want to invite? Should you rent a hall or hold it in your home? Don’t forget about getting a venue contract and any other permits you might need.

Step 4 | Ask for Support

Don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends and family. Ask them to volunteer. Ask the Meso Foundation for help in organizing.  You’ll be surprised to find how much people do want to help. However, the sooner you ask for help in the process, the easier things will be.

Step 5 | Include a Money-Maker

A money-maker is a feature within your event that raises additional funds to benefit your charity. Examples include selling 50/50 raffle, hosting a silent auction, organizing a live auction, getting people to donate baskets to sell, making jello shots or having a drawing for a big ticket item.

Step 6 | Say Thank You

Thank everyone who donated time, money or resources. Thanking businesses who sponsored your event will make future requests easier. Also, don’t forget to share your success story!

Shelly and Erica’s session was so popular last year, symposium organizers asked them back. They will again present on Fundraising during the 2013 Mesothelioma Symposium from 3 to 4 p.m. PST, Friday, March 8 at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas. If you can’t make it, don’t worry. This is one of the sessions that will be streamed live online.

Share Your Mesothelioma Story with ADAO

Have you been affected by asbestos exposure and are now dealing with an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis? Do you have a friend or family member who is fighting this illness or has fallen victim to an asbestos-related disease? You are not alone.

Thousands of people are impacted by diseases related to asbestos exposure, and every story matters. By sharing your experience of how you or someone you love has been affected by asbestos exposure, you can join together with other people like you to find strength, hope and comfort within this heartbreaking situation.

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization strives to raise awareness on the risks of asbestos exposure and the diseases linked to it. ADAO prides itself as the “voice of the victims” and provides a place of camaraderie for mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease patients, friends and family to come together to support the cause and each other.

One way ADAO strives to support people impacted by asbestos is through encouraging individuals to “Share Your Story.”

It is easy to participate in “Share Your Story.” Just visit the ADAO website, click on “Share Your Story” and answer the question “How has asbestos changed your life” and submit a photo of yourself.

However, to protect your privacy and any legal actions you may have pending, please remember not to share any confidential information. If you’re uncertain about what is safe to share, just ask. We suggest you not include your last name, birth date or other identifying information.

ADAO has already collected over fifty stories from patients, their spouses and families. Now, the organization is moving beyond the online stories with plans to compile those stories into a book entitled, "Shared Stories: How Asbestos Changed Our Lives."

Everyone who submits their story by March 1 will be included in the book which will be distributed during the upcoming ADAO conference March 22-24. The book will also be available online at a later date.

By submitting your mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease story on the ADAO website, you can join the community and contribute to raising asbestos exposure awareness. Simply visit the ADAO site and fill out the form to share your story with other people like you. If you would like to read the stories of others, browse through a collection of published “Share Your Story” features here.

To learn more about ADAO and its upcoming conference titled “The Asbestos Crisis: New Trends in Prevention and Treatment,” view our previous blog post that discusses details on the conference agenda and how to register. The Simmons Firm is proud to be the longest consecutive supporter of ADAO and a platinum sponsor of the event.

Bridgeton Landfill Update: Firm Hosts Informational Meeting As Foul Smell Continues

Simmons Law Firm attorneys and staff will meet with concerned citizens again this coming Tuesday, Feb. 26, to share information about the offensive odors coming from the Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Sports Café at 3579 Pennridge Dr., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

In recent weeks, residents have complained about horrible smells similar to that of dead animals coming from the Bridgeton Landfill. KMOV and other local news outlets have reported that landfill officials expect the smell to continue for several weeks while the landfill undergoes improvements.

The meeting will review residents’ legal rights as property owners and renters living near the landfill. Residents have reported experiencing side effects from the odor including headaches, watery eyes and migraines.

The odor could be linked to a landfill fire burning underneath the ground at the site. The odors have been linked to a fire at the St. Louis County landfill. This raises additional concerns as the Bridgton Landfill fire is believed to be located near radioactive waste dumped in the adjacent West Lake Landfill.

Simmons Firm attorneys will discuss safety concerns surrounding the bad smells coming from the St. Louis Landfill fire and what residents can do to protect their legal rights. 

If you live in the Bridgeton area and are concerned about the health impacts of the Bridgeton Landfill, please contact the Simmons Firm for more information.

Mesothelioma Prevention: Tips for Avoiding Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. Exposure can occur when products or materials containing asbestos are handled in a way that causes the microscopic asbestos fibers to become airborne. When the fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in the lining of the lung or abdomen, eventually leading to health conditions like mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.

There is no known cure for mesothelioma, and asbestos use has not been fully banned in the United States. However, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases can be prevented by avoiding exposures to asbestos fibers.

To avoid asbestos exposure, follow these tips from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

Be Aware

The first step you can take to avoid asbestos exposure is to stay alert and identify any areas in your home, workplace or other location that might contain asbestos products. Since asbestos was used heavily prior to the 1980’s, many buildings built before this point in time may still contain asbestos products such as floor tiles, siding, decorative paint, roofing, siding, cement, plaster, insulation and more.

Do Not Disturb It

After identifying the possible presence of asbestos, the next step is to avoid touching, moving or disturbing it. This includes keeping activities in areas with asbestos to a minimum, sealing or covering areas with damaged asbestos products, avoiding doing repairs or renovations on areas with asbestos products, avoiding sawing, scraping, sanding, vacuuming, stripping or leveling any asbestos products, and more. If you are concerned about asbestos in your home or building, you should contact an asbestos removal professional.

Bring in a Professional

Asbestos professionals are trained in the proper methods of asbestos handling and removal. Should your home or workplace contain asbestos products, contact an asbestos professional such as an inspector or contractor before you do anything else. Asbestos professionals can properly dispose of the materials without causing exposure to you or your loved ones.

The number of people who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis can be lowered if we work together to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, common asbestos products and the steps we can all take to avoid releasing asbestos fibers into the air.

Explore more important information you should know about asbestos exposure in the home, in the workplace, in schools, and in debris from natural disasters now.

ADAO Conference Focuses on the Asbestos Crisis and Prevention

Asbestos exposure contributes as the leading cause of serious conditions like mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, yet its use is not banned in the United States. As the “voice of the victims”, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization has announced the agenda for the 9th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference that will take place on March 22 – 24 in Washington D.C. 

The theme for the 2013 conference is “The Asbestos Crisis: New Trends in Prevention and Treatment” and will feature more than 30 notable experts and asbestos victims who will present information on the latest advancements in disease prevention, global advocacy and mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease treatments.

The primary four sessions of the 2013 conference will cover the following topics:

• Medical Advancements (the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases)
• Patients & Caregivers Information (guidance on mesothelioma treatment and medical issues)
• Prevention (issues related to preventing mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases that are caused from asbestos exposure)
• Advocacy (Global Ban Asbestos Action)

The event begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 23 with registration and a continental breakfast, concluding for the day at 5 p.m. Sunday’s sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at 11:30 a.m. View the full conference agenda now.

ADAO is the largest independent asbestos victims’ organization in the U.S. and strives to give asbestos victims and their loved ones a voice and the ability to raise public awareness on the dangers of asbestos. The Simmons Firm is the longest consecutive supporter of ADAO and is a platinum sponsor of the 2013 conference.

Keynote speakers for the event include Dr. Aubrey Miller on Saturday, March 23. Miller is Senior Medical Advisor and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Liaison to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sunday’s keynote speaker will be Karen Banton, widow of the late activist Bernie Banton and CEO of the Bernie Banton Foundation.

Registration is open now through March 1. Register for the 9th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference today.

2013 Meso Foundation Symposium to Take Place March 7 & 8

The mesothelioma community is filled with survivors, family and friends of victims, and current mesothelioma sufferers. The continuous effort among this community is to raise awareness for the disease, its treatments and ultimately, to find a cure. 

The 2013 Meso Foundation Symposium is one event where mesothelioma community members can join together to learn about the disease and current developments, meet with and hear from mesothelioma experts, and interact with other people dealing with mesothelioma. The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is hosting this conference at Aria Resort in Las Vegas on March 7 and 8. The Simmons Firm is proud to be one of many sponsors for this year’s mesothelioma conference. The firm is the largest cumulative supporter of the Meso Foundation, having given nearly $2.2 million.

2013 Symposium Agenda

This two-day conference is a unique opportunity to get an inside glimpse into news and developments related to mesothelioma through understandable presentations, small-group interactions and one-on-one conversations. The topics on the 2013 symposium agenda cover not only the latest medical information, but issues pertinent to mesothelioma patients, caregivers and loved ones of mesothelioma victims.

Thursday, March 7
The agenda for day one of the symposium includes:

• Session for new patients
• Support panels for patients, caregivers and bereaved
• Genetics news
• Legislative news
• Novel research findings
• Mesothelioma pharmaceuticals
• Legal panel discussion

Friday, March 8
The agenda for day two of the symposium includes:

• Multidisciplinary panel
• Fundraising
• Conversations with community members
• Gala dinner and awards

If you are interested in attending the 2013 Meso Foundation Symposium, register now.