Meet Heather

In 2005, at the age of 36, and only three months after giving birth to my beautiful child, I was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Upon learning of this life-altering diagnosis, my husband Cameron and I embarked upon a search to find the best mesothelioma treatment care available. Our search eventually led us to Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned mesothelioma surgeon at the Boston based Brigham and Women's hospital.

Long-Term Survivorship Is Possible

Statistics for mesothelioma survival can seem frightening, but there is hope. Some have survived well past even their best prognosis. I am a 19-year survivor of malignant pleural mesothelioma despite being given a life expectancy of just 15 months when I was first diagnosed. After seeking aggressive treatment that involved a drastic surgical procedure called an extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by chemotherapy sessions and radiation treatments, I have been able to survive well beyond initial expectations.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Upon my diagnosis, I—like many other newly diagnosed patients—found out what had made me sick. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. This exposure usually takes place in a work environment, or in my case, secondhand exposure through the work clothes of a parent. The doctor asked me if my dad was a miner or if he had ever worked with asbestos. I saw myself as a child, wearing my father’s work jacket, white and crusty from drywall dust. Most of the work my dad did was drywall sanding and cleanup. The joint compound my dad used contained asbestos. Almost 30 years later, I was diagnosed.

Asbestos is a natural mineral once used in many products because of its durability and heat resistance. It was used most heavily in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s, even though researchers confirmed the dangerous health risks of exposure in the 1920s. Despite the risks, asbestos is still not banned today, and it can still be found in old buildings and products.

When asbestos is disturbed through acts like sanding, cutting or demolition, small fibers can be easy to accidently inhale or ingest. The needle-like fibers can make their way through the body and become lodged in the pleural lining, mesothelium or pericardium. Over time, the asbestos fibers can cause inflamation in these delicate membranes which can eventually cause genetic changes in their cells sometimes resulting in malignancy. The latency period between initial asbestos exposure and mesothlioma diagnosis can be over 50 years.

Staying Involved Through Advocacy

Getting involved in the cancer community was one of the best things I’ve ever done. There is no one who understands the struggle like another cancer patient. I’ve learned in my last 19 years of this journey, that the people who are in it with you can make all the difference in the world. Having people who know and understand your emotions during your cancer journey is life changing.

When I utilized the patient match program at my hospital following my mesothelioma diagnosis, a whole new world was opened to me and I didn’t feel so isolated and alone anymore. I urge you to find others who have walked your path; you will not only find help, but friendships that will last a lifetime. Because of the treatment I went through, I’m able to mentor not only mesothelioma patients, but those with other types of lung cancer as well.

I also fight with The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, Mesothelioma.com, and The Environmental Working Group to raise awareness of this cancer and ban asbestos. My voice as a victim of asbestos is a strong one, and people listen. We won’t stop until we know Washington is listening. Mesothelioma may not be curable, but it is preventable. We will continue to educate, to inform, and to fight until there is a ban.