On Veterans Day, its critical for all of us to remember, celebrate and honor the service of the men and women in arms today and, of course, our veterans.
One of the best ways to celebrate Veterans Day is to continuously advocate for better healthcare and treatment for our veterans and our active duty service members. We need to provide them with the same care that they showed us in protecting our rights, country and beliefs. President Obama summed up this thought in his annual Presidential Proclamation for Veterans Day by reminding everyone “to keep the promises we have made to all who have answered our country's call.”
Our veterans deserve cutting-edge medical treatment for injuries sustained during their time of service. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Legion and other veterans’ organizations are continuously advocating on behalf of veterans for better healthcare.
However, it isn’t as widely known as other service-related injuries or disabilities, but some of our service men and women were exposed to asbestos while on duty and later developed mesothelioma. Depending on where our service members are stationed, many are unwittingly and continuously exposed to mesothelioma because structures that have asbestos-related products remain in use.
Sadly, mesothelioma is a destructive disease that attacks the lining or the pleura surrounding the lungs, heart and stomach.
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common diagnoses of this disease. Through the inhalation of loosened asbestos particles (paint, drywall, sealants and piping, to name a few products), the bits of asbestos become lodged in the lung, chest cavity and surrounding tissue.
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are extremely devastating, and often don’t show signs or symptoms until years or even decades after exposure. These diseases require a long incubation period.
However, like other types of mesothelioma – peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma – early detection is key. Though the prognosis for mesothelioma is dire, early detection, especially for individuals at high risk – a history of asbestos exposure – ensures that treatment begins swiftly.
Veterans, Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Unfortunately, too many veterans are suffering from mesothelioma and other lung diseases because of their time in the service, especially those who worked on Navy shipyards, vessels and warehouses.
However, many veterans were subjected to asbestos while on duty simply because of where they were stationed. Up until the late 1970s and early 1980s, asbestos was a very common and prolific compound in building materials, used in various structures. Many of our service members stationed here or abroad were inadvertently and unintentionally exposed to asbestos.
How to Celebrate Veterans Day
Especially on Veterans Day, it’s important to honor the memory, service and dedication of our brave men and women. What we have today is because of what they did for us.
So, what can you do to celebrate Veterans Day?
Keep the dialogue going about mesothelioma and other service-related diseases so that we can ease the suffering of our veterans and work towards medical breakthroughs in treatment. Just because asbestos isn’t used anymore doesn’t mean that it doesn’t pose a serious threat.
