2015 – 2016 Mesothelioma Warrior Candle Lighting List
Submit a name for the 2016 -2017 Mesothelioma Warrior Candle Lighting List. Please note, any Mesothelioma Warrior Candle Lighting name submitted after December 15, 2016 will be added to the March 31, 2017 list.
Posted on November 1, 2016
The 2016 – 2017 Mesothelioma Warrior Candle Lighting Tradition
Jill Vaughan
My wonderful Mom, Jill “Jillypoo” Vaughn, courageously battled mesothelioma for almost 20 years. Best known for her comforting words and social media posts about the latest research on the Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) Mesothelioma listserv, she was the rock of strength and optimism for patients and families around the world. In addition to her wit and wisdom, my mom believed it was so important to remember friends and strangers who lost their battles with mesothelioma. Two years ago, my mom became a songbird in heaven, herself.
Candle lighting was so important to Mom. She began an international list of Warriors to log when patients were diagnosed and sadly, if they passed away.
Since she was not the most computer-savvy person, in 2009 from her hospital bed, she asked Linda Reinstein, co-founder of ADAO, to take over her December 28 and January 4 candle lighting tradition. Together with Julie Burns, Linda has managed my Mom’s tradition since, and the 2016 list has nearly 1,000 names. Click here to view the 2015 – 2016 Mesothelioma Warrior Candle Lighting List to confirm your loved one is on last year’s list.
There are two Mesothelioma Warrior candle lightings. The first, on December 28, is in loving memory of Warriors who have lost their battle; the second candle lighting, on January 4, is in honor and support of Mesothelioma Warriors who continue to courageously fight.
If you’d like to honor or remember a Mesothelioma Warrior through this candle lighting tradition, please fill out this form by December 15, 2016. Any names submitted after December 15 will be added to the list for next year’s candle lightings. If you have previously submitted your loved one’s name in a previous year, there no need to do so again. Also, all Mesothelioma Warriors included in the 2016 Memorial Dedication Video will be added to the Candle Lighting list unless, except those who opted out when filling out the form
Special thanks to Julie and Linda for continuing my Mother’s candle lighting tradition. As the founder of the candle lighting tradition, it is so hard to see my Mother now on the “in loving memory” list. I miss her dearly. I’m sure we all do.
In memory of my mom, Jill,
Tisha Vaughn