From San Francisco Chronicle, Asbestos Law Firm Promotes Mesothelioma Awareness Day September 26th
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason, one of the only law firms in the nation solely dedicated to helping individuals who have been harmed by asbestos, endorses the decision of the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 26th as National Mesothelioma Awareness Day. With this being the first officially designated year, CPSM also seeks to promote Mesothelioma Awareness Day in hopes of raising public awareness about this deadly but preventable rare type of cancer and to encourage donations for research aimed at finding a cure.
According to a Work Related Disease Surveillance Report published in 2007 by the Center For Disease Control (“CDC”), in conjunction with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”), each year nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with this preventable disease. The disease, caused by exposure to asbestos, is a type of cancer which attacks the mesothelium – the soft tissue which lines the internal body cavities and surrounds vital organs like the heart, lungs, and abdomen.
This year marks a very special time for this disease. Not only has the Centers for Disease Control predicted that after 2011 new diagnosis rates of mesothelioma should begin to decrease here in the states, scientists have discovered a rare genetic mutation which explains why some people are more susceptible to contracting asbestos cancer than others.
The need for more research into where this disease comes from, how it progresses, and how we can stop it is ever-present. With cutting-edge work being done in top-tier laboratories like the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, finally getting a handle on mesothelioma is more feasible than ever before.
Scientist are also pursuing gene therapy, engineered viruses and bacteria, and even tinkering with the human immune system in order to create better treatments for this disease. Although some research has led to successful discoveries, mesothelioma remains a clear and present danger.
Conservative estimates put nearly 1.3 million construction and general industry worker at risk even today, decades after the manufacture and use of asbestos products was severely restricted in the United States. Existing homes, hospitals, and school built before the 1980’s ban may still house unsafe levels of asbestos insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, wallboard, joint compound, and adhesives.
It is just as important as it ever was that construction workers, contractors, electricians, plumbers, and home owners get educated on how to identify materials potentially contaminated with asbestos and what to do if such materials are present.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set up a special section about asbestos and the danger it causes on their website: http://www.EPA.gov.
As there is still no cure, nor even any effective long-term treatment options, available for sufferers of mesothelioma, education and prevention are key in minimizing the impact this deadly disease has on our way of life.
Join us this September 26th in raising awareness, giving support, and bringing hope to those diagnosed with this incurable cancer.
About Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason (CPSM) has specialized in asbestos litigation and has obtained generous compensation for those diagnosed with asbestos related diseases for more than three decades. Every single client receives personalized attention from the attorneys themselves. Clients are kept fully informed of their case’s progress. Our decades of experience specializing in mesothelioma lawsuits combined with the personal service provided to each client sets our office apart from all other law firms. Visit http://www.mesothelioma-attorney.com for more information or call 1-800-440-4262.
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