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Save the Date! April 13 – 15, 2018 Arlington, VA
This year’s ADAO annual Asbestos Disease conference will follow Global Asbestos Awareness Week. It will once again be held at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View hotel.
Registration and the conference schedule are all available online.
2017 Virtual Miles4Meso 5K ~ The Fastest You Will Ever Run (same story from 2016)
JOIN US!
I don’t know that my dad would’ve appreciated a virtual race to the real thing, except in those last months, maybe. The tales he could tell about how fast he’d run, despite the tumors, the stitches, and the inability to eat – the embellishments would run amok no doubt.
For me, on the other hand, I appreciate a good virtual run! I’d rather be with my teammates in Alton, IL, don’t get me wrong, but trying to keep up with work, school, step kids, the husband and pet sitters, it can get costly quickly to travel. Last year I took the dogs to Asheville, NC and ran for Ginger Horton in her 1st Mesothelioma Miracle 5K.
This year I’m staying home and running the 8th Annual Miles for Meso Alton, IL ~ Durham Davises Chapter. It’s the one time of year I commit to running. Since my father died, it’s something I find terribly difficult to do. In honor of him and for Mesothelioma Awareness Day, I try to set aside the feelings of loss and revel in the miracles of those still struggling to survive.
I hope you will join me in supporting my dad and his noble cause to #ENDMeso. ~Courtney
Follow me on IG @sathopper & on Twitter @NCVideoSpot
Save The Date
ADAO’s 13th Annual Conference
Director ADAO: Asbestos, Mesothelioma Activists Take Stand Against FACT Act
From the beginning, we, at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), have been concrete in our stance to protect asbestos victims’ civil rights. ~ Linda Reinstein, ADAO
Don’t be bamboozled by the propaganda from those pushing for this special interest bill. Instead, learn about the top five reasons why the FACT Act must be stopped:
- The last four digits of asbestos victims’ Social Security numbers will be published on a public website for anyone to access.
- Additional barriers will be created that will delay access to compensation and justice on behalf of the victims.
- The security of asbestos victims will be threatened by revealing financial information, and opening the door to online identity fraud.
- The increased likelihood of discrimination will jeopardize asbestos victims and their families.
- Publicly lists “the name and exposure history of a claimant and the basis for any payment from the trust make to such claimant.”
The New House Bill | FACT Act – Passed by the House
The Hudson Valley News Network (Kathy Welsch) recently ran a story on a Senator local to them. I picked up it via a Facebook posting from ADAO Director Linda Reinstein.
It’s a great article and you should read it in it’s entirety.
It starts by saying:
Schumer explained that recent legislation – the House-passed Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act – passed by the House of Representatives would require those veterans who are sick and possibly dying from asbestos poisoning to disclose their personal information online, including their work histories, health records and parts of their Social Security Numbers, in order to receive financial compensation from companies that knowingly used this dangerous material.
After a recent, disappointing vote in the House to pass the FACT Act, it is nice to hear from those who oppose this Bill. Hundreds of asbestos-related deaths have occurred in New York each year. Within the article is a census breakdown from 1999 until 2013. Thousands more deaths are happening all around us – and a portion of Congress, and by in large Republicans, seem to think it is fine to re-victimize people already devastated by death or severe illness on the basis of a fraud that has yet to be proven. It’s disgusting. And shameful.
If I can quote a quote: “I am all for rooting out fraud,” said Schumer, “But we should do it with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer – especially when we are talking about our veterans.”
Patient Survey
It’s been a long time! My apologies for not writing more. Thank you Kirsten for getting me back here.
The request is this:
Dear Meso patients, this looks to be an interesting study on how patients prefer to receive test results. If you have a few minutes, perhaps you will consider taking their survey? Just click on the Monkey.
Many thanks! ~Courtney
#ENDMeso
Excerpt From: Get The FACTs
**The following is part of a greater article written by Gary Cohn for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog. Read the full text here.
Proposed Bill Set to Silence Mesothelioma Victims …
“We are the real people who matter in this debate, and yet the supporters of the FACT Act would not allow any of us to testify,” the letter said. “We may have been shut out of the hearings, but we will not be silenced.”
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One of those who are speaking out is Courtney Davis of Durham, North Carolina, whose father Larry Davis died of mesothelioma in 2012. In an interview, she says that in many cases the FACT Act would make it difficult for asbestos victims to receive compensation or receive justice before they died. “These people don’t have a long time to live,” she says. “The people who are dying will never see those who essentially killed them punished. The timetable is just too short.”
If the FACT Act is adopted, she says, “The devastating consequences to the victims will go on forever.”
The Daily Show and Asbestos Canada …
If you have seen this, you should. It’s horrifying. It makes me want to cry. And I laugh at it’s ridiculousness. It was a favorite of my dad’s … http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/fgl4ph/ored-to-death
Fingers Crossed: In Regards to the FACT Act
Opposing HR 526: The Furthering Asbestos Transparency Act 2015
Washington D.C. – 4 Feb. 2015
On February 4, 2015 House Resolution (H.R.) 526 made it to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
H.R. 526, also known as the Furthering Asbestos Transparency Act (trying really hard to not use quotation marks here around transparency*), packs a huge punch to anyone fighting for asbestos related diseases.
It is hotly contested by BOTH parties. Each with its own interests to maintain, certainly. However, I believe one side to be leading the charge against wrong-doing and for the people a little better than the other. Let me tell you why …
Heading in to the House
On a rather warm (for February anyway) a group of people who have, and in rememberance of those 
who died from Mesothelioma, joined together to journey to Capitol Hill in Opposition of the FACT Act: HR 526. Not knowing much about it other than what I had read previously, I left my mind and my ears open.
Together the 20 or so folks who truly have a bone to pick with all of Capitol Hill**, ventured to the House. First we met for a briefing of the day to come, and were able to discuss and ask questions about our hearing.
A quick lunch.
Then on to the room in which the hearing would commence.
Both Republicans and Democrats filtered in and out of the room as their time allowed. If they were up next to speak, then they’d appear only moments before. Most, not all. And not the Chairman from Pennsylvania or the Senior Rep from Georgia.
Click to watch the hearing from 2/4/2015
Boiling all of the comments and discussion and minor quarrels away, this is what I heard: This is a fishing expedition. No one knows if there is a problem. No one knows if ‘officials’ are 
looking in the correct places to find problems. But basically, let’s throw one of them there healthy looking people on the operating table, cut ’em open and see if they gots anything wrong with them.
OH! and if I find something, let’s put it, the patient’s name, address & relevant info on a public website so all of the companies who also thought this was a great idea can find all of their (no longer) private information.
I hardly believe this bill is doing what it was once intended to do. Somewhere, someone probably felt really strongly about protecting someone or some entity. Now it appears to me that while these patients have their “private” information displayed for big business to see, cross examine, and delay or deny coverage for – the same businesses absolutely do NOT want THEIR info available EITHER. And in no way does this so-called FACT Act require them to do anything. (*one of the reasons I want to put Transparency in quotes!)
These beautiful faces say it all
Furthermore the Republican Chairman could have offered 5 minutes to a victim to respond to Representatives questions or to make a simple statement. He could have done the right thing and made it happen. Instead he blamed the Democrats who once held House majority for his reasoning not to DO THE RIGHT THING, despite multiple requests to hear from us.
Not a smiling matter, but with a group like this it’s good to remember the joy in the moment
My final epiphany from the day simply reveals that instead of curbing the overall problem of asbestos and it’s continued use, the Government would rather have these ridiculous hearings. HEY CONGRESS THERE IS AN END IN SIGHT! Just ban this cancer causing crap.**
#BANASBESTOSNOW (ban asbestos NOW)
Action Against Asbestos 