On Sunday, March 30th, a group of people affected by mesothelioma gathered at the Marriott in downtown Detroit's Renaissance Center for a remembrance brunch. The event was sponsored by California-based Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Michigan.

Some, like Latanyta Manuel, who lost her husband Andrew to mesothelioma, were there in honor of their lost loved ones. Manuel said she just wants to honor Andrew's wishes and spread awareness about the disease. Others, however, were there because they had been diagnosed with the deadly disease themselves.

Those gathered Sunday said they and their loved ones got sick in different ways. For instance, Andrew Manuel's father worked in a pipeline, bringing asbestos back into the home while another man believes he was exposed secondhand, too, but said he also believes that contact with everyday products contributed.

The remembrance brunch is held annually to support each other and to spread the word about asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and asbestosis.