On March 30, 2023, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the 18th consecutive resolution designating April 1-7 as Global Asbestos Awareness Week (GAAW). This year’s theme, “Asbestos: One Word. One Week. One World,” highlights the united front in the fight against the availability of asbestos-based products and the deadly diseases they cause. Sponsored by the Asbestos…
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To Have and to Hold
In an extraordinarily rare turn of events, a husband and wife walk hand-in-hand through the painful challenges — and unexpected joys — of living with two different types of cancer Christian Kidd was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma in 2017. At the time, the guitar player of The Hates, a Texas-based punk-runk band,…
Asbestos Disease and Awareness Organization (ADAO) to Host First-Ever Virtual Day of Action
On March 23, 2023, the Asbestos Disease and Awareness Organization (ADAO) — the largest independent nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure — will host its first-ever Virtual Day of Asbestos Awareness and #BanAsbestos Action across various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. Scheduled two weeks ahead…
New Tool Measures Unique Mental Health Struggles of Mesothelioma Patients
Experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns are common after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Researchers are beginning to understand that depression and severe psychological stress could be even greater for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. In a study published in the November 2022 edition of Frontiers in Psychology, Italian researchers explored how psychological stress differs…
In Sickness and in Health
Thriving amid the hustle-and-bustle of city life, a thirtysomething with two careers and a busy social calendar hears the most unexpected news while stopping at a doctor’s office on her way to a birthday celebration Alexis Kidd was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma following a 2007 gallbladder surgery at age 37. With her husband by her…
Ask Amy
From home care for terminally ill patients to a law firm executive assisting clients, a retired registered nurse examines her unique career at the intersection of health and advocacy “You would be amazed and fascinated at the heartfelt stories you hear when you’re helping patients with their daily routines,” reveals Amy Fair, a retired registered…
Team Jersey
After witnessing her father’s rapidly declining health for more than a year, a determined daughter steps in to help a mesothelioma patient find life-changing medical care Karen D’Alessandro faced her worst nightmare in 2021 when her father, Gene V. D’Alessandro, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, one of the rarest and deadliest forms of cancer caused…
Soul Sisters
As the initial shock of her sister’s heartbreaking medical diagnosis fades, a woman experiences an array of emotional, social, and spiritual changes on the path toward acceptance “There have been numerous times when she supported us and saved us from falling apart when she was the one suffering from cancer and fighting for her life,”…
Family Man: Q&A With the Son of a Survivor
The son of a 14-year mesothelioma survivor reveals the emotions and challenges that have shaped his life since learning of his mother’s cancer diagnosis Matt Litton was 21 years old when his mother, Jill Litton, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Some family members and medical professionals suspect that Jill experienced secondhand asbestos exposure during her…
