During the program, which strives to answer the question “Why does anyone still die of cancer?”, Garmon visits the facilities where her husband was treated, and interviews people who are undergoing treatment for various types of cancer, and interviews doctors and researchers working for a cure.

PBS describes the film as, “Part science, part personal catharsis, part character-driven storytelling, this powerful documentary uncovers the truth about cancer and tell us where we stand in fighting the battle against the disease. ”

The program is slated to air in most markets at 9 p.m. ET. In Montgomery, Alabama, where I am based, the show is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on WAIQ, Alabama Public Television (APT).

Following the film, journalist and breast cancer survivor Linda Ellerbee will host a 30-minute follow-up panel discussion covering topics including the importance of early screening, what to expect if a loved one is diagnosed, and how to live with cancer.

Please check your local listings for this very important program! It is critical to realize that cancer is an issue of national importance in public health, and that much more needs to be done to enhance funding and research for all types of cancer.

Find more information about this program at the official PBS site for the film.

SOURCE: myMeso › PBS film about meso, cancer airs

NEW YORK VOLUNTEER CHAPTER OF MESO FOUNDATION HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL5K WALK FOR HOPE

MERRICK, NY: The New York Volunteer Chapter of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) will hold the third annual “5K Walk for Hope” on April 13, 2008 at 10am in Eisenhower Park, located in East Meadow, NY. Over the past two years, the event has raised more than $30K and the volunteer team hopes to build on that success. All proceeds will go to the Meso Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization that has awarded more than $5 million in grants for mesothelioma research since 2000.

Mesothelioma is an extremely rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos and most often affects the lungs, although it can also invade the stomach and groin areas. In the United States, 2,500 to 4,000 patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually, yet the disease has yet to find the national spotlight for research and funding.

The 9/11 tragedy in New York City demonstrates the continued, long-term threat of mesothelioma. Estimates of the amount of asbestos destroyed in the terrorist attack in Manhattan range as high as 1,000 tons. The impact pulverized this asbestos into tiny, microscopic fibers to which the firefighters, rescue workers, and other heroes of 9/11 were exposed, as well as workers, residents, and school children who returned to the area in the weeks and months following.

After mesothelioma’s long latency period, which is 15-50 years, the risk of cancer among those most heavily exposed could reach as high as one in ten. This year alone has seen the number of reported cases of illness and death of Ground Zero workers increase and unfortunately that number will only continue to rise, which is why more research is needed.

Registration for “5K Walk for Hope” is $15. Those who are interested in participating should contact Janice Malkotsis at (917) 751-2776. For more information about The Meso Foundation, please visit www.curemeso.org.

SOURCE: myMeso › Meso Foundation NY chapter Walk for Hope

However, what they fail to mention is that there is no safe level of asbestos. It merely takes one microscopic fiber to embed itself in your lungs to create serious and lasting health risks. The incredible health risks associated with asbestos exposure were widely known at the time these films were made.

The 1934 Aetna Insurance’s Attorney’s Textbook of Medicine devotes a full chapter to asbestos exposure, noting that asbestosis was ‘incurable’ and usually results in disability followed by death.

Also, here is a 1949 internal Exxon memo marked ‘Company Confidential’ which documents lung cancer caused by asbestos.

SOURCE: myMeso › Early Asbestos Promotional Videos

The Newsday.com article mentions that Reeve worked at a morgue in the toxic dust of Ground Zero following 9-11.

While her death has not been officially linked to exposure to materials released from the collapsing buildings, there is a great deal of study about the link between the disaster and mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, which affect many of the immediate responders and those who worked on the site in the many days and months afterward.

Today, the official New York City Fire Department web site has the story:

EMS officers, paramedics and EMTs attended the plaque dedication for Paramedic Deborah Reeve on March 11 at EMS Station 20 in the Bronx. Paramedic Reeve died of mesothelioma (lung cancer) on March 15, 2006. “This loss was a great blow to the members of this EMS station, the Department and the City of New York,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. “But we hope this ceremony will serve as a reminder to her family that we understand your pain has not diminished and your loss has not been forgotten.” Paramedic Reeve served with the EMS Command for 17 years before her death. She was remembered as smart, hard working and an outstanding paramedic. “She was the strongest person I ever met,” said Reeve’s husband, Paramedic David Reeve, also of Station 20. He recalled how they met at the EMS Training Academy, when she sat behind him in class and made fun of his southern accent. He was joined at the ceremony by their children, Elizabeth, 12, and Mark, 8. “All new members should try to model themselves after Debbie – the commitment and dedication she showed every day,” said Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano. Chief of EMS John Peruggia read the poem “She is Gone” in Paramedic Reeve’s memory, saying it emphasized “the importance of remembering Debbie, who gave so much to this city.” The plaque was unveiled to cheers and tears from her family, friends and fellow EMS personnel. It will be hung at EMS Station 20, located at Jacobi Medical Center in the Morris Park/Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx. “She was an excellent, outstanding paramedic … she really knew her stuff,” said Captain Felipe Periu of Station 20.

SOURCE: myMeso › FDNY honors Paramedic Deborah Reeve