Mesothelioma Awareness Day 2013 was a major success. We had volunteers from across the country represent the Meso Foundation at the Today show in New York City, organize and participate in volunteer events, and join us for our New York Conference and Congressional Briefing. The community raised immense awareness and huge amounts of funds to support mesothelioma research. Below, we recap the successful events surrounding the day.
ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
Bright and early on Mesothelioma Awareness Day, Meso Foundation staff and community members gathered at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City sporting “curemeso.org” t-shirts for the filming of the Today Show. The turnout was excellent and the group raised immense awareness for the disease and the Meso Foundation. Rich Mosca had the opportunity to speak with Al Roker about mesothelioma and the Foundation. Another of our volunteers, Marina Mintz, received additional airtime after being chosen for an ambush makeover on the show.
CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
Later in the morning on September 26 the Meso Foundation held a congressional briefing at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Seventeen Congressional staffers attended the briefing, including some senior staffers. Moderated by Melinda Kotzian, Meso Foundation CEO, the briefing featured presentations from Dr. Rich Alexander, surgical oncologist and clinical research, as well as Lisa Gonneville, a mesothelioma patient. Dr. Alexander discussed the effects of mesothelioma on the body and the research behind the disease. Lisa shared the story of her diagnosis and battle with mesothelioma. Melinda provided insight into the need for research funding.
COMMUNITY DINNER
On the evening of September 26, Meso Foundation staff and volunteers again gathered in New York City for a community dinner at Ted’s Montana Grill. The dinner was hosted by Hanne Mintz, Meso Foundation Board of Directors member. This was a great time for the community to catch up and reflect on their great accomplishments of the day.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
A social media campaign was launched in recognition of Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The Foundation posted a series of graphics on Facebook. The first of the series told the story of twin sisters, one of whom, Lindsay, was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 20 and continues to battle the disease six years later. The second graphic told the story of Courtney, who lost her father to mesothelioma. The graphics encouraged Facebook viewers to share their story, emphasizing the fact that this disease affects countless individuals. On the morning of Meso Awareness Day, the Foundation launched an infographic explaining the disease and encouraging viewers to share the post to raise awareness. The graphic proved very successful, as it reached over 21,000 viewers on Facebook.
VOLUNTEER EVENTS
During the days and weeks surrounding September 26, twenty-two volunteer events were organized and held all over the nation to raise funds for the mesothelioma research. The events were held throughout many states, including New York, Florida, Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and so on. Thousands of attendees participated in raising mesothelioma awareness and funds. As donations are still coming in, proceeds from all of the events are being tallied. The total amount of proceeds will be reported in the coming weeks.
Many of our volunteer events were featured in media outlets. Check out the articles below:
- Kayaking 4 Meso
- CrossFit to hold mesothelioma cure fundraiser
- Dunbar Fall Festival Fundraising Event Brings Attention to Mesothelioma
- Miles for Meso Races Raise Money for Cancer Research as Community Recognizes Mesothelioma Awareness Day
- DSC students to host mesothelioma awareness event, honor professor
RODs Benefit for Meso, an annual event in West Virginia organized by Missy Dorsey Bowles, raised over $25,000 for the Meso Foundation. This was a record-breaking amount for Missy. The event was featured in the following news outlets:
Yvonne Hall and Donna Bruzewski were interviewed by two media outlets in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch the videos listed here:
Evie Lichtenwalter, a college student, wrote the following article about her sudden mesothelioma diagnosis:
NEW YORK CONFERENCE
On Friday, September 27th, the Meso Foundation brought together the New York region’s top mesothelioma experts for our annual conference, Malignant Mesothelioma: Knowledge is Hope, at the Harvard Club of New York City. Attendance sold out as patients, family members, doctors, and community members joined us for the conference. Topics discussed included mesothelioma surgery and chemotherapy, genetics of mesothelioma, the importance of biomarkers, radiation therapy, clinical trials, and asbestos exposure.
Be sure to read our two press releases detailing Meso Awareness Day activities and our Congressional Briefing:
