Mesothelioma Risk being Reduced by Florida Mayor Determined to Protect the Public

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Davie, Florida Mayor Judy Paul is pushing for the removal of asbestos-contaminated piping at a mobile home complex that is slated to be redeveloped into a public park.

The asbestos-cement pipes previously functioned as drinking water and sewer lines for the old mobile home park. Some town staffers formerly claimed the contaminated pipes were safe enough to provide drinking water for the planned park. However, Mayor Judy Paul contends that safe enough should not be the standard when it comes to protecting the public from asbestos exposure.

Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. Exposure occurs by either inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. These fibers have the potential to become lodged in the lining of the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity, where they can cause damage that leads to cancer. Due to the latency period of mesothelioma symptoms, which can range between 20 and 50 years after exposure, the average mesothelioma life expectancy for patients upon diagnosis is four to 18 months.

Mayor Paul stated at a recent town council meeting in August,

Mesothelioma Survivor Reaches Third Year Cancer-Free and Now Aids in Raising Public Awareness

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Three years after an invasive surgery to remove her cancerous lung, mesothelioma survivor Janelle Bedel remains cancer-free and now helps to raise public awareness of the asbestos-caused cancer.

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The disease is known for its aggressive nature and is particularly difficult to treat. Although no cure currently exists, a number of mesothelioma patients who are diagnosed early enough may qualify for a combination of aggressive therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. This combination of therapies, known as multimodality therapy, presently has the best chance of extending a patient’s mesothelioma life expectancy.

Before her mesothelioma diagnosis, Bedel thought she was struggling with a chronic sinus infection. But when her doctors couldn’t explain the cause of her back pain and the swelling in her lungs, Bedel began researching her symptoms online. Her research led her question if she was facing mesothelioma, a rare cancer that primarily affects older men with a history of occupational asbestos exposure.

Bedel’s research led her in the right direction and at the age of 31 she was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. After imaging scans, tests to confirm diagnosis and some chemotherapy, Bedel went to New York for an invasive surgery to remove her affected lung.

Bedel said her surgeon, mesothelioma expert Dr. Valerie Rusch,