The MCA Blog
Connecting with others one story at a time
Results for “Legal and Financial Help”
Finding Help in the Last Stages of Mesothelioma
- Author: Jillian McKee
- Date: 3/28/2018
While researchers have made some progress in developing new ways to detect mesothelioma earlier, the majority of patients are still diagnosed at more advanced stages. By stage 3 and stage 4, patients face a life expectancy of just 12 – 16 months with limited treatment options available to extend survival. By these final stages of disease, the cancer has typically spread to other organs beyond the point of origin and likely has also spread to the lymph nodes, so surgery is no longer an option and other treatments like chemotherapy may be rather ineffective.
Asbestos Litigation: A Short Guide
- Author: Emily Walsh
- Date: 1/25/2018
Asbestos has a long, complicated history around the world. The mineral has been in use for hundreds of years because of its notable properties. Its fire and chemical resistance led to a booming asbestos industry, one that is still worth millions of dollars each year in certain parts of the world.
Spring 2018 Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Scholarship Winner Sirena Cordova
- Author: Staff
- Date: 1/10/2018
The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance is pleased to announce the winner of the Spring 2018 Scholarship, Sirena Cordova.
Sirena is currently pursuing graduate studies at SUNY Empire, after receiving her bachelor's degree from the college in June 2017. She became the first member of her family to graduate from college, an achievement that became more difficult than she expected as her personal life faced many traumatic events along the way.
Talcum Powder Lawsuits: How Asbestos-Contaminated Talc Harms People
- Author: Jackie Clark
- Date: 11/22/2017
Talcum powder lawsuits have been a hot topic lately, especially as new documents reveal that Johnson & Johnson, a defendant in many of these cases, may have been aware of the toxic contaminants in their products all along. Court documents revealed that the company explicitly trained their employees to always reassure any concerned consumers that the products never contained any asbestos, despite knowing for decades that their talc had been contaminated.
High Cost of Asbestos Abatement Leaves Lower Income Communities at Risk
- Author: Jillian McKee
- Date: 11/17/2017
Asbestos abatement is an important aspect of preventing asbestos-related diseases. As most of the asbestos in the United States today can be found in legacy uses, especially in older buildings and homes, removing the toxin can greatly limit exposure for families living in these homes or workers in older buildings.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients and Their Families
- Request a Free Mesothelioma Treatment Guide
- Connect with Top Mesothelioma Doctors
- Locate the Nearest Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Sign up for Our Mesothelioma Treatment Alert
- Speak with a 13-Year Mesothelioma Survivor
- Financial Assistance Available to Help with Treatment Costs
Presumption Laws: What they Mean for Firefighters Facing Cancer
- Author: Jennifer R. Lucarelli
- Date: 10/18/2017
In recent years, the number of risks firefighters take in their daily jobs have become evident. Beyond the obvious fire and smoke, firefighters are extremely vulnerable to toxic exposure, such as that emanating from asbestos dust and fibers.
Fall 2017 Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Scholarship Winner Natalia Jaramillo
- Author: David Haas
- Date: 9/1/2017
We are pleased to announce the winner of the Fall 2017 Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Scholarship is Natalia Jaramillo, a doctoral student specializing in clinical psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Affordable Long-Term Lodging for Cancer Patients
- Author: Jillian McKee
- Date: 7/5/2017
Patients and their families spend millions of dollars each year on lodging and transportation or travel for treatment. These travel costs accumulate fast, on top of the mounting medical bills for the treatment itself and normal household bills. For the average family, these costs can quickly become too much to handle.
MCA Observes World Day for Safety and Health at Work
- Author: Staff
- Date: 4/28/2017
People all over the globe face various health risks at work every day. World Day for Safety and Health at Work, observed on April 28th, was created by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2003 to raise awareness for occupational illnesses and injuries. The ILO estimates that over 2 million people die each year globally from an occupational injury or illness. With better safety and preventive measures, these numbers can surely decline.
Health Insurance for Cancer Treatment: What to Know
- Author: Jillian McKee
- Date: 4/18/2017
In some ways, a battle with cancer today goes well beyond fighting the disease itself. Patients also face the hardship of affording increasingly expensive treatments on top of all the usual bills. And if that isn’t bad enough, it looks like the costs of cancer treatment aren’t coming down anytime soon. A study from 2014 found the annual cost of a cancer drug was over $120,000, and estimated that it would continue rising each year by 7.5 – 10.5% until at least 2020.