Posted on November 1, 2014

Framed Jessica Donna Have you taken the “Make a Pie – Take A Pie… Ban Asbestos!” Challenge yet? We are so grateful to Jessica Mattmuller and Donna Johnson, members of our ADAO community, for their fantastic idea — using something that’s so much fun, to raise awareness about something so heartbreaking – that asbestos is still legal and lethal in the US.  We think it’s too soon to cut short the excitement. In honor of Health Literacy Month in October and Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, we are extending our deadline to Take a Pie and Share an Asbestos Fact until November 30.  Click here for the details. Of course, our Challenge now includes that leftover pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving!

Jessica and Donna took a tremendous amount of leadership in every aspect of the Challenge — writing blogs, designing graphics and much more.  We asked them to share the serious personal stories that caused them to want to do something about the asbestos public health crisis.

Now it’s time for you to meet the “Pie Ladies”!

“Staying Positive” – Mike’s Story   (As shared by his wife, Jessica )

“Mesothelioma robbed my 30-year-old husband and me of the first few years of our marriage. Mike was a tri-star athlete in high school; now he gets short of breath just walking around. He had a pleural pneumonectomy in 2012 and has been fighting stomach and bowel issues ever since. His health will never again be the same because of asbestos disease that could have been prevented.” – Jessica

 

“He Left Us Far Too Early” – William’s Story (As shared by his daughter, Donna)

“My dad, Bill Boone, died of Mesothelioma in June 2000 at 68 years of age.  Other than this disease, which proved terminal for him, he was in perfect health.  He was enjoying life: riding his motorcycle, fishing with his 3-year-old grandson and painting commissioned pieces of artwork.  My dad was not overweight; he did not smoke, did not drink alcohol and did not take any medications.  Unbeknownst to him, he had inhaled invisible asbestos fibers 35-50 years prior to actually having any symptoms of disease.  My dad died just 7 months after receiving the shocking diagnosis of Mesothelioma.  The good news is that asbestos related diseases are preventable.   Join us in the fight to BAN ASBESTOS in the U.S.!” – Donna

 

Thank you, Jessica and Donna, on behalf of all of us at ADAO. It is because of people like you that we can make a difference.

Together, change is possible.

Linda