Florida man running 5K for mesothelioma awarenessPompano Beach, Florida - A mesothelioma patient from Pompano Beach, Florida is raising money and awareness for a form of cancer most often linked to asbestos exposure. Larry Davis has fought mesothelioma for years, and has beaten the odds for survival. When doctors told Davis that he was near the end of his life in 2007, he decided to forego additional treatments and improve his health by running.
Now, Davis is organizing the Miles for mesothelioma 5K race in order to raise awareness about this rare but aggressive form of cancer. The race will take place on Valentine's Day at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton, Florida.
"They gave me a death sentence," said Davis, who is now 64 years old. "I proved them wrong. I did the opposite of what they said to do, and that's why I'm still here. Sometimes individuals have to take responsibility for their own well being."
"We are going to have a tribute [to notable mesothelioma victims], but we're not going to be there to mourn," Davis said. "We're here to get on with life and come up with solutions, because we're not getting any help from politicians and the government...I sat with a senator in Washington and asked him to help ban asbestos. He said, 'We banned it.' I said, 'No, you haven't. His aide "Googled" it and said, 'You know, we almost passed it in '89, but a federal judge overturned it,'" Davis told reporters last week.
For more information about the race and fundraising activities, visit southfloridamilesformesothelioma.com.
