Posted on July 10, 2014
We have been touched by asbestos in individual ways, yet we are joined together by a bond of community. As a testament to the strength of our global family, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is highlighting the courageous stories of our members with the “Share Your Story” feature on our website.
This week, we would like to honor the story of Don, as shared by his daughter, Jennifer, who is a part of our ADAO family.
We encourage you to submit your personal stories by clicking here and following the simple instructions on the page. In sharing, comes healing. Remember, you are not alone.
“Mesothelioma Shook Us to the Core” – Don’s Story
(as shared by his daughter, Jennifer)
Name: Don
Location: St. Marys, Pennsylvania, US
Date of Diagnosis: 30-JAN-2012
Diagnosis: Mesothelioma
1956 – 2013
How has asbestos changed your life? 
Because of asbestos, my hard-working, loving, generous father was taken from me on October 15, 2013 at the age of 57. The lives of my family members have been torn apart because of a material that is still legal in the United States. The senseless loss of my father and countless others angers and confuses me.
I watched my father go through months where he could not breathe but still went to work every day suffering. His diagnosis shook us to the core. Surgery, chemotherapy, a clinical trial, and radiation were to follow. Throughout all of these challenges, Dad always kept his faith in God and did his best to see the good and beauty in every situation.
Today, I know that I have a special angel who is always with me, and I will never stop working to find a cure so that no one else has to go through the pain and devastation caused by this awful disease.
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