ADAO Announces 6th Annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference

Next spring our friends at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization will host their sixth annual conference in Chicago. I spoke with Linda Reinstein, Executive Director for ADAO, and she told me this year's program promises to be the strongest conference to date. The speaker list will feature renowned asbestos and mesothelioma experts such as Dr. Hedy Kindler. No doubt members of the Simmons firm will be in attendance to show support. Details on how you can register are included below. 

Register for the 6th Annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference

April 9 - 11, 2010

Marriott Renaissance Hotel, Chicago, Illinois

Global Mission: Prevent, Detect and Treat Asbestos-Related Diseases

"Science and Technology Proves Asbestos is a Carcinogen"

This conference is made possible with the support and collaborative efforts of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS).

Registration Fee:   

Professionals: $300

Students/Patients/Caregivers: $150

Sunday Remembrance Brunch: $25 with conference registration/$50 without conference registration

Agenda Session Topics Include

• Preventing Asbestos Exposure
• Detecting and Treating Asbestos-Related Diseases
• Asbestos Victim and Family Resources and Support
• Global Advocacy

Conference Speakers

Brad Black, MD

Barry Castleman, ScD

Jeff Camplin, CSP, CPEA

Sean Fitzgerald, PG

Arthur Frank, MD, PhD

Patrick Gerkin, PhD

Fernanda Giannasi, ABREA

Michael Harbut, MD, MPH, FCCP

Tanis Hernandez, LCSW

Laurie Kazan-Allen, IBAS

Hedy Lee Kindler, MD

Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH

Terry Lynch, Int'l Vice President, Insulators Union

Pat Martin, Canadian Parliament Member

Linda Reinstein, ADAO

Kimberly Rowse, RN

Jordan Summers, Musician

James Webber, PhD

Jordan Zevon, ADAO National Spokesperson and Musician 

ADAO Asbestos Awareness Day Honorees

U.S. Senator Richard Durbin will be presented with the Tribute of Hope Award for his steadfast commitment and determination to ban asbestos.

The Center for Asbestos Related Disease Center (CARD) will receive the Tribute of Unity Award for their work to unite, educate and empower asbestos victims and medical community.

Dr. Hedy Kindler will be recognized with Dr. Irving Selikoff Lifetime Acheivement Award in honor of Dr. Selikoff's dedicated research into the social and medical impact asbestos has had on humankind.

Fernanda Giannasai will be presented with teh Tribute of Inspiration Award for being a bridge of hope and strength to victims of asbestos exposure in India and worldwide.

Warren Zevon "Keep me in Your Heart" Memorial Award - TBA

June Breit, honored posthumously, The Alan Reinstein Memorial Award for her commitment to advocacy to eradicate mesothelioma and offer support to patients and their families. 

Conference Schedule

Friday, April 9th

NEW! Private Gathering for Family, Patients, & Caregivers Only

5-6 p.m.

Meet and Greet  with Jordan Zevon

7-9pm

Saturday, April 10th

Conference

8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 11th

Remembrance Brunch

9:30-11:30am

On Sunday ADAO will light five candles at 10:30 a.m. CST for victims throughout and around the world.

Kansas City Family Affected by Mesothelioma Makes Headlines, Fights On

Earlier this year the family of Wendell Mason, who died of mesothelioma, was featured on the local NBC station in Kansas City about mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos exposure in the home.  Last week the Masons returned to the news in an article titled "Confronting the Needless Tragedy of Mesothelioma." The article was by Thomas Bogdon and appeared on the online news site KCTribune.com.

The good news, as cited in the article, is that the city of Olathe, Kansas, proclaimed September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day, thanks in part to the work of Elizabeth Mason and her two grown daughters and grown son. This is an important achievement, and I applaud the Masons for their dedication to building awareness.

The bad news, as I told Mr. Bogdon when he interviewed me for this article, is that asbestos - a carcinogen known to cause mesothelioma - continues to be imported into the U.S. The need for research and better treatment options continues to remain urgent and dire for the thousands of families currently fighting against the disease.

I applaud Mr. Bogdon for covering this difficult subject in such a thoughtful and compassionate manner. The Masons are a courageous family, and it's wonderful to see their hard work pay off.  

Miles for Meso on KSDK NewsChannel 5 St. Louis with Jennifer Blome

Earlier today Jennifer Blome of NewsChannel 5, KSDK, the St. Louis NBC affiliate, spoke with Julie Gundlach about mesothelioma awareness and the Miles for Meso 5K runs/walks this weekend in Alton, Illinois, and in St. Louis in October.  Julie is a St. Louis resident who has been living with peritoneal mesothelioma since she was diagnosed at age 35 three years ago and has been supporting the Alton event and spearheading the St. Louis effort. You can see the conversation here.

Julie did an excellent job articulating the critical need for mesothelioma research, the dangers of asbestos exposure, and how events like Miles for Meso can help bring the necessary awareness.

It's exciting to see Miles for Meso come to life. But it's even more exciting to see the event help generate the attention mesothelioma deserves. The Simmons firm has represented thousands of families across the country affected by mesothelioma. We've seen the devestation it causes firsthand. This is why we've committed ourselves to leading the fight for the legal rights of victims. It's why we support mesothelioma research throughout the country. 

If you haven't registered for Miles for Meso yet, there's still time. I'd encourage you to participate in both the Alton race and the St. Louis race (we've had over 400 register for Alton alone!). One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit mesothelioma research.

See you on race day.

Fighting Mesothelioma One Step at a Time

I’m pleased to announce that the Simmons law firm will sponsor the inaugural Miles for Meso, a 5K run/walk, in historic Alton, Ill., on September 26, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m. Money raised benefits the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to funding critical research for better treatment options and, hopefully, to find a cure.

The need for mesothelioma education, awareness, and research has never been more urgent. Mesothelioma is a rare but devastating cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Our firm is committed to funding research and building awareness about the disease so that we can assist in providing the needed critical help for families throughout Illinois, Missouri, and the entire country.

We hope you can join us, whether you’re competing for cash prizes, simply enjoying the outdoors, or showing your support for mesothelioma awareness. Participants will receive a hi-tech, long sleeve running shirt. The top three finishers in the men’s and women’s categories will receive cash prized of $500 (first place), $200 (second place), and $100 (third place). There will also be five $100 cash prize drawings.

Along with generating awareness of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, the Simmons firm’s sponsorship includes matching and donating all entry fees to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to funding critical research for better treatment options and, ultimately, to find a cure for mesothelioma.

Miles for Meso participants will also have the opportunity to sign a petition to support a movement at the federal level to declare September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Earning national recognition of September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day is an important step in the ongoing battle against the cancer. We look forward to the support of our Metro area runners, walkers, and friends to help make a difference as they participate in a great event.

A second Miles for Meso event will be held October 11 in University City and spearheaded by mesothelioma awareness advocate Julie Gundlach.

Going forward, we hope that we can continue this race in our community and expand it to others. As we generate awareness of mesothelioma, we gain momentum in raising funds, developing better treatments, and working even harder to find a cure.

Click here to register for the event.

$22,641 Raised on Facebook for Mesothelioma Research in 32 Days!

I'm amazed.  In just 32 days, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation's cause on Facebook reached over 18,000 people and raised $22,641 for mesothelioma research. All in the name of a four year-old little girl named Zaida from Colorado. I'm so pleased that our firm could be a sponsor and play a role in building awareness. Thank you to everyone who joined and participated! 

Thousands Rally on Facebook for Four Year-Old Girl With Mesothelioma

Three weeks ago our firm became involved in a campaign on Facebook to help fund cancer research on behalf of a 4 year-old little girl named Zaida and thousands of other mesothelioma patients across the country. I'm pleased to announce that in that short time the campaign has inspired over 9,000 people to join the cause to fight mesothelioma and has raised over over $13,000!

All money goes to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation to fund cancer research. It's free to join and when you do the Simmons firm will donate $1 to the foundation. Plus, if you donate on your own, the Simmons firm will then match your donation. It's simple and a great way to generate awareness and raise needed funds for research. Here's what it looks like on Facebook:

Why Facebook? As a social networking tool, Facebook has over 100 million people that log on every day, and the average user has 120 friends. Facebook has quickly become a means of creating interest and dialogue about issues that directly affect the well-being of our country, including the election of President Obama. You can join Facebook here.

Giving back to the people we serve and represent has always been a priority to our firm, and if you've ever sat in the living room of a family that just found out a loved one has mesothelioma, you know why. I'm pleased to announce that even before the Zaida Facebook campaign was officially up and running, the 200-plus employees at the Simmons firm opened their hearts and wallets and collectively raised over $22,000.

Obvisously, when we heard about Zaida, we knew we had to get involved. If you haven't read Zaida's story, I'd encourage you to click here and learn more. She may not be the typical face of this cancer, but she's a face that can inspire more involvement, more engagement, and more resources – which can lead to better treatment options and, someday, a cure. She certainly inspired us –  as have the thousands of steelworkers, carpenters, and military veterans that we've seen struggle against this disease.

I hope you're inspired too, because there's much more work that can be done.  Let's see if we can raise another $10,000 on Facebook - and when we're successful, let's do it again! Let's give this long overdue conversation the broader public attention is deserves. 

Mesothelioma Stoops to New Low of Cruelty: Meso Foundation Fights Back on Facebook

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has launched a Causes campaign on Facebook called Cure Mesothelioma! in the name of Zaida Mattson, a four year-old little girl diagnosed with mesothelioma. The Simmons firm has generously agreed to sponsor the campaign and donate a dollar to the Meso Foundation for every new member who joins the Cause. Please know that joining the Cause is free. Additionaly, the Simmons firm will match your donation if you choose to donate to the Cause. Click here to get involved.

As the Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, I see the cruel impact of mesothelioma on innocent people and families across the country. It is, without a doubt, among the most vicious and painful of cancers. I know all too well how aggressively the tumor crushes the lungs or invades vital organs in the stomach, how the need for medical research was ignored for years, how patients today are offered very little hope of effective treatment. Which is precisely why the story of Zaida Mattson took my breath away.

Zaida is four years old. Like many four year-olds, Zaida loves to sing, dance and play. She loves Ariel from The Little Mermaid. She loves her older sister and parents with all her heart, as they love her. She is a wonderful child – a wonderful child that was diagnosed with mesothelioma last year.
For those of you that don’t know, mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The typical face of mesothelioma is an older person; the cancer most often takes decades to develop in the lining of the lungs or stomach after an exposure to asbestos, usually afflicting men and women in their 60s and 70s. But for reasons that are not yet understood, mesothelioma cases have started arising in younger and younger people, individuals in their 40s, 30s, even 20s.

There are approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the U.S. each year – fathers, mothers, friends, neighbors, co-workers. All of their stories are personal. All of their stories are important. Zaida’s story is important in a new way. This tragic case of mesothelioma in a little four year-old child tells us that mesothelioma is everyone’s problem. No age is safe.

Zaida’s mother came to the Meso Foundation – the national non-profit working to cure mesothelioma and providing support and education to families impacted by it – and asked us to tell her story. She wants to use Zaida’s story to help us build awareness about the disease, and to raise money for research. Zaida’s mom understands that research for a cure is Zaida’s best chance, and the best chance for all of the mesothelioma patients of today and tomorrow.

This is why we need you to spread the word, help us build awareness, and – if you can – open your wallets. Zaida needs your help. Thousands of men and women, unwittingly exposed to asbestos and now fighting against this deadly cancer, need your help. Everyone at risk to develop this disease in the future needs your help.

I invite you to show your support and join our Cure Mesothelioma! Cause on Facebook. Right now, for every person that joins, the Simmons firm will donate one dollar. And for every dollar you donate, the Simmons firm will match that donation. We have the opportunity to shed light on a disease that is so sorely in need of attention. Tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers. Please - get involved. Just click here or on the graphic below to take action.

For those of you unfamiliar with mesothelioma, I encourage you to visit www.curemeso.org to learn more. If you are or know a mesothelioma patient, I encourage you to contact us right away. We have a mesothelioma nurse practitioner who can answer your questions, explain the disease and connect you to top mesothelioma specialists throughout the United States. We have many other resources to support you and help you navigate this difficult cancer.

Last, but not least, I thank the Simmons Firm for embracing our cause. They are 100% dedicated to our cause to find a cure for mesothelioma. Our fight is a common one – to alleviate the needless suffering of those fighting this insidious cancer. We are thankful for their support.

Please, join our Cause on Facebook today to cure mesothelioma. For Zaida’s sake. And for thousands of courageous, incredible, deeply-loved people across the country.