Malignant mesothelioma shouldn’t happen to anyone. But it does. About 3,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the United States. Its association with asbestos exposure has been known for hundreds of years and the link has been considered conclusive by modern scientific standards since 1964.
Prevention of mesothelioma has progressed but remains imperfect. A cure continues to be elusive. Treatment options exist but mostly to help alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for patients.
However there is a group dedicated to trying to change all that. And that’s the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF). The Meso Foundation is the major group that funds needed research in mesothelioma prevention, early detection and the development of new treatments. They also help patients and their families coping with the disease.
As the Meso Foundation website states, “We are the only national non-profit organization dedicated to ending mesothelioma and the suffering caused by it, by funding research, providing education and support for patients and their families, and by advocating for federal funding of mesothelioma research.”
The Meso Foundation provides services to patients, educates the public, and advocates in Washington, DC for governmental funding for mesothelioma research. That’s why they are headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia just across the Potomac River from the Capitol where federal regulations are made and research grants are allocated.
The Meso Foundation proudly proclaims on their website these accomplishments:
- $8.2 million in grants directly awarded to fund mesothelioma research to improve treatment options and survival of mesothelioma patients
(Our firm’s foundation has committed over $5 million to date to mesothelioma research, with $100,000 last year given directly to the Meso Foundation)
- $8.8 million in government funds given for mesothelioma research as a result of Meso Foundation advocacy
- 600 people helped every month through information about mesothelioma, support groups and access to an expert nurse practitioner
- 81 cents of every dollar goes to programs not overhead – Meso Foundation is a fiscally responsible non-profit, praised by third-party charity evaluators.
A highlight for us and our sponsors at Kazan Law every year is the Meso Foundation’s annual International Symposium on malignant mesothelioma. The next one is March 5 – 7, 2014 in Alexandria. Take a look at recent Mesothelioma Symposium archives to see the kinds of scientific research presented. Maybe this year, we’ll see you there.