"Dying was not an option," says Heather Von St. James of Minnesota, who has defied the odds and conquered mesothelioma.

She was diagnosed with the disease nearly three years ago now; Heather believes she was exposed as a child to the asbestos in her father's work clothes. Now, two and a half years after undergoing radical treatment, Heather remains disease-free.

Heather had been experiencing health problems and shortness of breath, but had chalked it up to her first-time pregnancy. When she couldn't ignore the weight in her chest any longer, she consulted her doctors. Three months after giving birth to her daughter Lily, doctors in Minnesota found a lump in Heather's lung the size of an orange. She was given three options: do nothing and live maybe 15 months, try chemotherapy and radiation and live an expected 5 years, or go see Dr. Sugarbaker in Boston.

Heather's husband made the decision immediately, and the family moved to Boston to begin treatment with the head of the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Sugarbaker performed surgery to remove Heather's left lung, the lining around her heart, half of her diaphragm, her sixth rib and a few lymph nodes. The cancer has not returned and Dr. Sugarbaker is calling Heather a shining example of the progress he is beginning to see in the fight against a disease that traditionally carried a maximum survival of 12 to 18 months.

"I claim cured," Heather says.

She underwent surgery on Feb. 2, 2006, was in the hospital for 18 days and stayed in Boston for a month. When Heather left Boston, she moved in with her parents for two months. In May, she returned home and began chemotherapy -- every three weeks for 12 weeks. Now, she returns to Boston every four months for a CT scan; so far, so good.

In 2006, Heather filed suit against her father's employers and asbestos manufacturers. The trial was set for September, but was suspended. Heather and her attorney filed an appeal and are waiting for the results. In the meantime, Heather has focused on caring for Lily and maintaining proper health.

"I'm going to be the first meso patient to live 50-plus years. I told my doctor he would retire before I did," Heather said. "And he's OK with that."

To read Heather's full story, click here.

An Edmonton, Alberta, Canada local was honored yesterday for his countless hours of volunteering. Since 1993, Arnold (Willy) Willet has been tirelessly devoted to helping local families make funeral plans for military veterans. Unfortunately, Willet who is in the final stages of mesothelioma was too ill to attend the event held in his honor.

Willett joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1953 and served as a flight engineer. He was stationed in France, the Middle East and Ethiopia and later moved to Edmonton in 1971. After retiring from the forces in 1993, he volunteered with the military and the City of Edmonton, where he worked with cemeteries staff as the volunteer military liaison.

Over the years, he helped 480 families with funeral arrangements, plot selection and honors guard services for deceased veterans. Gisela, Willett’s wife, remembers her husband's first volunteer work in 1993. “It involved visiting sick veterans or driving them to various appointments. He would also arrange for buses to transport shut-in legion members to functions such as Remembrance Day and Victory in Europe Day.”

To pay tribute to Willett, the city unveiled a commemorative tree, granite pillar and bronze plaque near the military wall at the Northern Lights Cemetery in northwest Edmonton. He also received a special commendation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for his volunteer work on behalf of veterans, back in June. “Willy is one of those special people that touch your life in ways you never could have imagined," Terry Wright of City of Edmonton Cemeteries said. "To us, he is our angel, our role model and our friend."

For Full Article, Click Here.

The estate of Edgar Goodman, of Charlottesville, VA, is claiming that during his employment between 1947 and 1951 at CSX Transportation he was exposed to and inhaled asbestos fibers that originated from products he was using. The estate has filed a Federal Employers' Liability Act complaint (FELA). Passed by Congress in 1908, FELA allows railroad workers who are not covered by regular workers' compensation laws to sue companies over their injury claims.

FELA requires the injured worker prove that the railroad was "legally negligent," in causing an injury. After proving negligence, the injured worker can seek compensation for past and future wage losses, medical expenses and treatments, pain and suffering, and for partial or permanent disability. In the event of death, survivors are entitled to recover damages which they have suffered because of the death.

Goodman, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma on July, 1, 2005, worked with pipe and block insulation, sheet rock, joint compounds, gaskets, packing, cements and brake shoes, all of which contained asbestos. The estate claims that the exposure to asbestos was foreseeable and CSX failed to acknowledge the dangers it posed. Moreover, the estate claims that CSX failed to provide any or adequate instructions concerning the safe methods of working with asbestos.

Prior to his death, Goodman suffered great pain, extreme nervousness, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and medical expenses. The estate is seeking at least $250,000 in damages including funeral and burial costs.

A recent study conducted by Italian researchers titled, “Assessment of Biomarkers in Asbestos-Exposed Workers as Indicators of Cancer Risk,” published in a June 2008 issue of Mutation Research, identifies a new method of monitoring the health of people exposed to asbestos, allowing for earlier diagnosis.

Researchers focused on looking at biological biomarkers and there relation to mesothelioma. Biomarkers are substances used as indicators of a biologic state and allow researchers to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. Being able to identify mesothelioma biomarkers might allow researchers to develop a method of early diagnosis.

A total of 119 subjects with a history of occupational exposure to asbestos underwent clinical examination and were interviewed by trained personnel, responding to a detailed questionnaire related to duration of asbestos exposure, smoking, and occupational task. According to the occupational tasks, asbestos-exposed subjects were analyzed for their asbestos cumulative dose and the association with the biomarkers was evaluated. A significant increase in biomarkers was evident in subjects who had a higher exposure to asbestos showed. Also, among the occupational groups, maintenance workers, pipe fitters and electricians were exposed to a higher cumulative dose of asbestos fibers.

These results are very promising and every day researchers are getting closer to finding a method of early diagnosis. Hopefully more tests and research will be conducted in the coming months to further develop this specific method of diagnosing.

In the UK, one community has rallied around a neighbor who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma.  Stuart Smith, age 64, believes he contracted the disease when sweeping asbestos-laden buildings belonging to the air force.   To honor Stuart, local businessmen and craftspeople donated goods for an auction to benefit charities of Stuart's choice.

In just one day, the town raised over £2,600 for the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund and Macmillan Cancer nurses.  The kindness of his neighbors meant much to Stuart, who said, "I'm overwhelmed that people wanted to hold this auction for me. I feel quite emotional, to be honest. I cannot believe that people can be so generous. Some of the people who have arranged it, I have only briefly met.  It seems a lot of people around here have empathy for my problems."

Stuart's wife Wendy, age 65, echoed his sentiments: "We have lived in Horsford 11 years and I would not now move even if we won the Lottery.”

In reaching out to Stuart, the community not only affected his life, but also the lives of other mesothelioma patients.  A single event raised nearly £3,000 towards finding a cure and assisting those currently suffering from the disease.  The support Stuart encountered has armed him with the strength he needs to face the cancer: “My attitude is that I have got to be positive, and make the most of my life,” he said.

For more on Stuart, click here.