Mesothelioma Awareness Day bill passes the House of RepresentativesSaint Paul, Minnesota - On November 29, 2010, the House of Representatives finally passed H. Res. 771, a bill introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Saint Paul, Minnesota and designating September 26th as National Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The bill urged the President to call on Americans, federal departments and agencies, states, localities, organizations and media to annually observe mesothelioma awareness with appropriate ceremonies and activities at least one day out of the year.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen that is almost always caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos, a toxic mineral that was used widely in construction and industry throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Mesothelioma generally takes between 20 and 50 years to develop, but doesn’t become symptomatic until it reaches stage three or four, making it terribly difficult to diagnose.
Because most mesothelioma patients are diagnosed once their cancer has metastasized, life expectancy generally doesn’t surpass 18 months. Even with mesothelioma treatment, which involves some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients usually only gain an additional six months of life.
“In 2000, my friend and predecessor Congressman Bruce Vento was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Despite decades of warnings about the dangers of asbestos, too many Americans are still unaware of the devastating nature of this disease”, says Congresswoman Betty McCollum. Congressman Bruce Vento died in 2000, just nine months after his diagnosis.
Mesothelioma Awareness Day was established five years by Meso Foundation volunteers. Since then, hundreds of volunteers across the nation have requested that their city and state governments establish local Mesothelioma Awareness Days.
