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06/28/2010 // Chicago, IL, USA // Cooney & Conway // Mesothelioma lawyers: Cooney & Conway
(Mesothelioma News) – Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., was awarded the Bruce Vento Hope Builder Award on June 11 in recognition of his efforts to eradicate mesothelioma, a deadly cancer of the lining that covers many of the body’s organs, including the lungs, heart, and abdomen.
The presentation was made at the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma in Washington, D.C. The event was hosted by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation).
A highly aggressive cancer, mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. The disease, which can take decades to develop, strikes some 3,000 Americans every year.
Although the health risks of asbestos have long been known, mesothelioma remains a major health concern in the U.S., because asbestos remains present—typically in insulation or ceilings—in many homes, offices, and even schools. The material is particularly hazardous when airborne, as asbestos fibers can be easily inhaled—and trigger mesothelioma decades later.
While state and federal regulations are intended to mitigate the risks of asbestos, especially in renovation and demolition projects, these rules have not always been followed, resulting in fines, criminal penalties, mesothelioma lawsuits—and too many preventable deaths.
The nearly 300 attendees of this year’s symposium included mesothelioma patients, researchers, and other professionals, as well as family and friends of those who lost their battle with the disease. During the three-day conference, participants exchanged scientific and medical updates, networked with other allies in the fight to cure mesothelioma, and advocated for increased congressional funding for mesothelioma research.
So far, there is only one FDA-approved mesothelioma treatment—and it has extended average survival by just three months. The only real success against the deadly cancer has been in the courtroom, where mesothelioma lawyers have won large jury awards and settlements from manufacturers, property owners, employers, and others who knew—or should have known—the risks of asbestos exposure, but did little, or nothing to protect others.
It was in recognition of Sen. Baucus’s tireless support and efforts in the fight against mesothelioma that he was honored with the award, named after the late Minnesota congressman who died from the disease in 2000.
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation—a national nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for mesothelioma—has funded $6.4 million in research and other programs through its peer-review grant program. The foundation unites doctors, researchers, patients and families, mesothelioma lawyers, union representatives, and others to share information and advance mesothelioma research.
This news story was brought to you by the asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers at Cooney & Conway, a nationally recognized law firm that has brought recovery—and justice—to victims of asbestos exposure and the deadly diseases it can cause. For more than half a century, we have been champions of those injured by the wrongful acts of others, and we have successfully resolved some of the nation’s most significant asbestos lawsuits.
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