Posted in July 2, 2013 

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 Cathy, as shared by her daughter Heather, 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.

“Changed Our Lives” – Cathy’s Story

(as shared by her daughter Heather)

Name: Cathy

Location: Pennsylvania

Year of Birth: 1952

Date of Diagnosis: 03-OCT-2012

How has asbestos changed your life?

In September 2012, my mom was having shortness of breath. My dad took her to ER and her lung collapsed. After almost 2 weeks in hospital, they did surgery to staple her lung, where she had a hole in her lung from mesothelioma. The surgeon took a biopsy and 3 weeks later, we found out she had mesothelioma. This has changed my mom’s life and my whole family’s lives. She is no longer able to do the things she was able to do before. My mother also has no health insurance and we haven’t found any assistance to help her with her medical expenses. This disease is nasty, and I hope they soon find cures for it.

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