Asbestos Is No Laughing Matter
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 5/7/2018
Whenever I meet someone new, whether through my volunteer work or advocacy work in Washington D.C., they are almost always surprised that asbestos is not banned, and is still being imported and used today. I’ve learned that many people just assumed that it was banned back in the 1980s when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced legislation that would ban nearly all uses of the toxin. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that law was overturned just a few years later, so asbestos is still legal to use today in certain products.
Reflecting on September’s Mesothelioma Awareness Events and My Biannual Checkup
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 10/24/2017
September always proves to be a busy month for me, and this year was certainly no different! As much as I try to pace myself, it always seems as though all the things happen at once. September is usually busy for one important reason: Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
How Cutting Funds to the EPA Could Affect Mesothelioma Survivors
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 5/8/2017
Through my years blogging for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, I have had some pretty amazing opportunities to get my story out there through blogs, opinion pieces, and most recently an interview and video with Greenpeace. Why Greenpeace you might ask? What does an organization better known for saving the whales have to do with mesothelioma and asbestos?
Lung Leavin’ Day 2017: Celebrating 11 Years of Mesothelioma Survival
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 2/3/2017
My husband and I have been throwing our Lung Leavin’ Day Celebration ever since 2007.
The first year it was just the two of us, in subzero weather, with our plates, by a pitifully small bonfire. But we did it, we wrote our fears in sharpie and smashed the plates. You know what? It felt AMAZING!!!
Dealing with a Cancer Diagnosis During the Holidays
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 12/15/2016
I love decorating my Christmas tree. I love pulling out all the ornaments year after year, and finding the perfect spot for each one. Like many people, the ornaments hold memories: some good, others funny, and one in particular is the most bittersweet.
Dealing with “Scanxiety” at My Annual Mesothelioma Checkup
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 11/15/2016
No matter how good I feel on a day-to-day basis, every six months, the reality of being a long-term cancer survivor comes crashing back. Even though I’m going to be celebrating 11 years since my diagnosis on November 21, I still get uneasy when the time comes around for me to get on a plane, head to Houston for my scans and to see Dr. Sugarbaker.
Fall Mesothelioma Awareness: Meso Foundation Symposium
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 11/1/2016
September was such a jam-packed month of mesothelioma awareness activities, that it’s now taken me more than a month to even process it all and get it all written down. In addition to participating in Mesothelioma Awareness Day on September 26th, I went to three different events throughout the course of the month. You can read about my experiences at the Kayaking 4 Meso and Miles for Meso events.
Fall Mesothelioma Awareness: Miles for Meso
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 10/26/2016
September is filled with a lot of wonderful opportunities to support mesothelioma awareness through fundraising events and gatherings across the country! In my last post, I wrote about how I joined the Kayaking 4 Meso event in Upstate New York. In this post, I’m going to share my experience with the Miles for Meso event halfway across the country in Illinois.
Fall Mesothelioma Awareness: Kayaking 4 Meso
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 10/20/2016
I love fall...especially September, but for more reasons that just the cooler weather and leaves changing color. September is a month that is full off mesothelioma awareness and fundraising events all over the country!
How One Mesothelioma Survivor Deals With Survivor's Guilt
- Author: Heather Von St. James
- Date: 8/17/2016
I learned early on in my cancer treatment what a cruel, unfair thing cancer can be. It doesn’t care who you are, how old you are, or how much money you do or don’t have. Cancer has one purpose, to destroy the host, no matter who that host is – and many times, it succeeds.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients and Their Families
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