Posted on March 26, 2018
This year, Earl Dotter’s 4th groundbreaking poster series “Badges: A Memorial Tribute to Asbestos Workers” that honors firefighters, emergency responders and caregivers on the frontline of prevention and advocacy will debut in Washington, D.C.
Through his lens, Earl captures the health impact and injustice of asbestos exposure. From the frontlines of 9/11 to the Mount Sinai Medical Center operating room — ‘asbestos fighters’ work diligently to prevent and cure deadly asbestos-caused diseases.
The 2018 BADGES poster features ADAO Honorees, Firefighter Pat Morrison and Dr. Raja Flores, who both advocate for prevention and an asbestos ban in the USA and all over the world.
The 2013 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study of firefighters showed a rate of mesothelioma two times higher in firefighters than that of the general population.
According to Patrick J. Morrison, from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), firefighters have already been harmed by the exposure to the carcinogen and there are thousands more who still need the protection of a total USA asbestos ban.
Emergency Responders with Building Trades Workers, particularly those who risked their lives during the rescue recovery effort after 9/11, are also recognized in the poster and 2018 BADGES exhibit.
Dedicated caregivers in New York and throughout the nation, diligently work to treat and care for patients who suffer from preventable diseases. They all have stepped up to provide healthcare for all those impacted by significant asbestos exposure consequences.
As a champion in Congress and in the operating room, Dr. Raja Flores, the Chief Thoracic Surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, tackles treatment and physician advocacy with immeasurable passion.
These heroes deserve our respect and the ability to address their 9/11 related health challenges.
In Unity,
Linda