Welcome!

Father’s Day is right around the corner and once again you find yourself wondering what could you possibly give your old man to show your appreciation for his time in your life. You can buy the usual gifts, but does dad really need another tie or grilling instrument? This Father’s Day why not give your dad the gift that keeps on giving -- good health.

In another installment of the Managing Mesothelioma video podcasts, I cover the topic of exercising with mesothelioma. While there is no specific exercise or exercise routine that will help prevent or diminish mesothelioma, exercising is important for one's health with or without cancer.

June is here and with that comes longer days and warmer weather; the perfect time of year for do-it-yourself home renovations and upgrades. But before you go diving into your next DIY around the house, there are certain precautions you should take. Eighty percent of homes built prior to 1980 still contain asbestos and they’re usually hiding in the materials you’re most likely to mess with during your reno-project. In honor of National Home Safety Month, we’ve compiled some information to make your home summer project successful and safe.

When I was in the hospital in Boston recovering from my extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery, I remember looking at Cameron, my husband, and saying to him, “when we get through all of this, we are getting a motorcycle.” I think he started dreaming about the perfect bike that night.

The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance would like to thank Amy Heidrick for becoming our Advocate of the Month for June. Amy shares the story of her father-- a family man through and through-- and his fight with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Fourteen million cancer survivors live in the United States today and with the help of prevention, technological advances and the personal strength of those diagnosed, that number is continuing to rise higher than ever. In honor of Cancer Survivor’s Day, we revisited two of our MCA warriors and mesothelioma survivors and asked about their experience with cancer and what being a survivor personally means to each of them.

Surprising or not, the Department of Veterans Affairs kept physical, paper files on each and every claim made by a veteran, and because the record keeping is cumbersome and archaic, many question why the VA has stuck to such an outdated claims system for so long, especially with the recent uptick of veterans needing support and services.

With mesothelioma cancer, a diagnosis often comes after a long latency period. The average length of latency for malignant mesothelioma is 35 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos. Often times, younger members of the family, such as children or grandchildren, have to step in to become caregivers for their parents or grandparents who are battling mesothelioma in the late stages of their life.

Almost everyone knows someone currently serving in military services, and one thing stands true for all members of all branches of service: care packages from home never go unappreciated. Armed Forces Day is a day to honor all service men and woman from each branch of the military; much of the mesothelioma community are veterans, or loved ones of veterans or current members of the military. In honor of Armed Forces Day, the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance has put together some helpful ideas for preparing and sending the best and most useful care packages to loved ones overseas.

Today the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released a draft report from the Gulf War Veterans' Illness Task Force on the current state of Gulf War Veterans' health in the hopes to gather public opinion and comments in an on-going effort to improve the quality of medical care and types of medical services offered. Further, the draft report calls for an improvement in addressing the medical needs of Gulf War Veterans with “multi-symptom” illnesses and expanding the scope of clinical studies.

In my second video podcast, I explain the side effects that a mesothelioma patient can expect when administered chemotherapy treatments. Cisplatin and Alimta® are the two most commonly used chemotherapy drugs and often a combination of the two drugs is given. If you or a loved one is about to undergo chemotherapy, I hope this information is useful in helping you prepare for your upcoming treatments.

With Mothers Day just under a week away, many people are searching for that perfect gift for mom. Flowers are a standard gift that come to mind for many, but if you have a mother or wife who’s undergoing cancer treatments, you may want to make her Mother's Day extra special this year with a gift that shows your love and support during this tough time in her life.

Whether you're in remission or you've recently been diagnosed with cancer, maintaining a healthy diet is critical to your recovery and well-being. For some aggressive cancers, like mesothelioma, the treatment is equally as aggressive and alleviating symptoms from such treatments is paramount to help a patient feel well. Vegetarian, vegan and low-carbohydrate diets have long been very popular ways to do this. However, studies are now showing that a gluten-free diet may also help in the fight against cancer.

The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance would like to thank Diana Evens-Hein for becoming our Advocate of the Month for May and sharing her story about her father's fight with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Diana’s statement of “one less breath is one too many” is a statement than can resonate with our community who have suffered loss from this cancer. Below is an interview with Diana about her experience and how she would like to help the mesothelioma community.

Staying active while going through treatment for cancer can be a tremendous challenge. Especially when dealing with an aggressive cancer like mesothelioma, treatments can make exercise seem the the last thing a patient wants to do. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery all have side effects that can limit energy and create physical limitations. However, here are five activities that patients can do this summer to jumpstart a low-impact exercise program to help reduce symptoms from treatments.

I was speaking with a friend of mine recently about writing, as she's writing a urban fantasy short story, and the subject of blood types came up. You see, I always remember my blood type, B Positive, because that’s how I always strive to be. Unfortunately, sometimes I fall short of my goal. Today is one of those times.

As the phrase “Stay Strong Boston” echoes through the city of Boston, as well as the country, patients who lost limbs in the devestating Boston Marathon bombing are trying to do just that. A week after the heinous attack, 48 people remain hospitalized and at least 13 survivors lost a limb. These victims are being treated at various hospitals in the Boston area, which include Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

The Face Of Climate Change is the theme for Earth Day 2013. Countries around the world are mobilizing their citizens to take part in various activities to raise awareness of the growing threat of climate change. From a green car show in Santa Barbara to an Earth Day Flash Mob in Korea, people of the world are taking part in this historic day to celebrate and raise awareness.

The costs of chemotherapy, surgeries, and post-operative medical items can add up quickly if you are battling cancer. Patients fighting cancer like mesothelioma will need to start treatment immediately and may be looking to deduct health care costs on their tax return. However, many patients may not know what to do or where to start.

In my first video podcast, I answer the common question from malignant pleural mesothelioma patients about both the possible benefits and harm that can result from taking non-prescribed vitamins and supplements during treatment. While many patients believe that taking more vitamins and supplements means better health, I'll explain that more is not always better when it comes to recommending alternative therapies for patients undergoing treatment.