February is National Cancer Prevention Month, which is a time to choose healthy habits to reduce your risk of mesothelioma and other cancers and spread awareness about cancer-causing substances.
Cancer prevention efforts have helped reduce cancer deaths in the U.S. by 33%, according to the American Cancer Society.
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testicles. Its only cause is exposure to asbestos, a toxic mineral used heavily throughout the 20th century.
Learn how you can join the efforts this month to help prevent mesothelioma.
1. Avoid Asbestos Exposure
Because even one fiber can cause serious damage to the body, the American Cancer Society says the best way to prevent mesothelioma is to avoid asbestos exposure altogether.
If your home or workplace was built before the early 1980s, it likely contains asbestos-containing materials. To be safe, you should take precautions and report any damage if you see it.
You can protect yourself from asbestos exposure by:
- Consulting with professionals to identify and remove asbestos-based materials
- Not touching or disturbing asbestos-containing products
- Wearing masks or respirators if your job requires you to work around asbestos products
Learn more about the products that commonly contained asbestos and what steps you can take to protect yourself in our Free Asbestos Products Guide.
2. Be Proactive About Your Health
Unfortunately, not everyone knew they were being exposed to asbestos or that the products they worked with would cause irreversible damage decades later.
For this reason, it’s important to be proactive about your health if you worked in a high-risk occupation like construction, firefighting, or plumbing. Veterans should also be mindful of their health since asbestos was heavily used in the U.S. military prior to the early 1980s.
- Be open with your doctor: Let them know you may have been exposed to asbestos so they can monitor you for symptoms of mesothelioma.
- Get routine cancer screenings: Regular physical exams and imaging scans can detect changes in your health so you can diagnose mesothelioma early. An early diagnosis can help you get more effective treatment.
- Stop smoking: While cigarette smoking is not a cause of mesothelioma, it can worsen the damage caused by asbestos and put you at risk of other conditions like lung cancer.
There is no way to remove asbestos fibers from the body after exposure. However, these tips can help you catch the cancer before it spreads and improve your odds of becoming a mesothelioma survivor.
3. Advocate for a Ban on Asbestos
Despite over 70 countries around the world banning asbestos use, the U.S. still uses asbestos in some industries. As a result, asbestos is still imported into the country, putting transporters and workers at risk of mesothelioma.
For this reason, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is partnering with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) this month to push for a complete ban on asbestos in all its uses.
You can join the ADAO and IAFF efforts by:
- Contacting your Congressperson to support the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, a bill that calls for a complete ban on asbestos
- Sharing information on social media about the dangers of asbestos and how some people like firefighters are at an increased risk of asbestos-related cancers
- Signing the petition to ban asbestos with no loopholes or exceptions
These small actions can make real change and prevent mesothelioma and other asbestos cancers in future generations.
Get Help After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you do not have to take this journey alone.
The Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma Hope are dedicated to helping those affected by this cancer get the medical guidance, financial assistance, and supportive care they need and deserve.
Call us at (866) 608-8933 or fill out our contact form to see how we can assist you today.
