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.
