Who We Are

Originally posted on January 13, 2013 and updated on January 19, 2021

ADAO: Standing on the Frontline of Asbestos Awareness and Asbestos-Caused Disease Prevention. 

For almost two decades, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) has been frequently called upon to speak to Congress, health care providers, national and international organizations, and families about the deadly legacy of asbestos and the urgent need for a global asbestos ban. On behalf of ADAO, I am honored to have these conversations. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is: “What exactly does your organization do?” It’s always exciting to answer that question and provide a better idea of what ADAO does, from a typical day in the office to our long-term goals. Below, we will outline what exactly ADAO does.

Who We Are

Doug Larkin and I founded ADAO in 2004, after both of our loved ones had been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a lethal asbestos-caused disease. As we cared for them, we met other patients and families whose lives were also devastated by asbestos exposure. As we watched the people we cared for succumb to a deadly, yet preventable, disease, we began a journey of advocating to end asbestos exposure in the hopes that no one else would have to experience the pain we lived through. ADAO started small, and, slowly but surely grew as more victims, families, and communities affected by asbestos joined us. Thanks to volunteers, interns, supporters, donors, patients and their families, leadership, and our National Spokesperson Jordan Zevon, ADAO has been able to continue to grow. ADAO, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is now the largest United States-based independent asbestos victims’ organization. Our expansion has also been made possible through the creation of a leadership development program that enables ADAO to work with local undergraduate and graduate students studying business, communication, law, and public policy. Our network includes over 50,000 individuals eager to live in a world without asbestos, a known human carcinogen.

 

What We Do

ADAO’s vision is to eliminate asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. We are a round-the-clock organization committed to three initiatives: education, advocacy, and community, as seen in our 2020 Year-In-Review. To achieve an asbestos-free world, ADAO works with public health organizations and passionate leaders throughout the world to prevent consumer, environmental, and occupational exposure to asbestos. ADAO is about much more than banning asbestos. On the frontline of information exchange, ADAO regularly answers countless questions from individuals, from “Do I have asbestos in my home?” to “What’s mesothelioma?” to “How can I help?” Every week, ADAO writes two to three blogs to educate the public about asbestos-caused diseases, correct misconceptions about asbestos, update the public with the latest asbestos news, and tell our community about the work we are working on at that time. Our Science Advisory Board and Prevention Advisory Boards assure that the information we give is cutting-edge and accurate.

1) Education

As a leader in awareness and prevention, ADAO has built an extensive educational resource library of graphics, infographics, videos, writings, and factsheets that are widely shared in the United States and around the world. We have also created a website called kNØw Asbestos that is a one-stop resource guide for you to learn about asbestos and what to do about it. Each year, ADAO speaks at numerous international conferences and events, such as the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig) Conference, and more. These speaking engagements enable ADAO to collaborate with public health organizations and educate the public about preventing asbestos exposure. ADAO also hosts an Annual International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference, where world-renowned experts and asbestos victims present the latest advancements in disease prevention, global advocacy, and treatment for asbestos-caused diseases. This year’s conference would have been held on April 3 -5, 2020 in Washington, D.C.; however, was canceled due to the COVID 19 pandemic. ADAO also educates members of Congress through yearly staff briefings, and helps make significant change by bringing experts in front of the Environmental Protection Agency’s own Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) in order to advise them on the EPA’s Draft Asbestos Risk Evaluation. 

2) Advocacy

ADAO collaborates with various national and international organizations to promote public health and advocate for an end to asbestos imports and use. Each April, ADAO organizes an annual Global Asbestos Awareness Week, which was launched following the successful passage of Senate Asbestos Awareness Resolution, designating the first week of April as “National Asbestos Awareness Week” in the U.S. Additionally, since 2004, ADAO has hosted 14 staff briefings for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Last, but not least, ADAO has created a bill called the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN) that has bicameral support from both the House and the Senate. The bill amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: identify and assess the importation, sale, and uses of, and exposures to, asbestos; and impose requirements that permanently eliminate the possibility of human or environmental exposure to asbestos.

3) Community

I will always remember the grief and deep isolation I felt when my husband Alan was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2003 and it claimed his life in 2006. Since then, our ADAO community has grown exponentially. With the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, ADAO provides educational materials, support, and resources to patients and families around the world. Also, through personal storytelling campaigns such as “Share Your Story” and “6 Word Quotes,” ADAO has raised awareness about the dangers of asbestos, while also uniting patients and families for prevention and community support. As a result, we have witnessed a dramatic shift from isolation to community as families and professionals offer

 support and resources to others in need.

Where We’re Going

ADAO will continue to work towards preventing asbestos exposure and eliminating asbestos-caused illnesses by urging lawmakers to ban asbestos, supporting the community of individuals whose lives have been devastated by asbestos, and educating the public about asbestos disease prevention. Our goal is a world without asbestos and without asbestos-related diseases. Join ADAO community and actions by signing the petition to the EPA to ban asbestos without any loopholes or exemptions, signing up for our eNewsletter and following us on Twitter and Facebook!

Together, change is possible,

Linda

ADAO’s Social Networks