In This Issue
President's Message
NEWS: 11th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference in DC on April 17 - 19, 2015
ADAO Returns to DC to Protect Civil Rights and Public Health
Global Action: ADAO Wants to Take Your Photo #Message2Congress!
Top Three Reasons To Share Your Asbestos Story with ADAO Now!
Standing at the Intersection of Luck and Fate for the "Asbestos - Future Summit" in Turkey
Reflecting on National Cancer Survivors Day: Five Lessons Cancer Taught Me
ADAO Supports National Cancer Research Month
Jammin' for Asbestos Awareness on September 26
ADAO Interview with Kieran Brewer about his Relay For Life Fundraising Efforts
Chloe Boarer: Raising Mesothelioma Awareness to New Heights
Remembering Debbie and Janelle, Two Brave Mesothelioma Warriors
Exclusive ADAO Interview with Musician Troi Atkinson
Remembering and Honoring Ray Colbert
Not Ready Yet - Troi's Story
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INFOGRAPHIC: "Asbestos is Legal and Lethal in the USA

 

2014 U.S. Surgeon General Asbestos Statement

 

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 2013 Year in Review 
President's Message  

Linda 2012

 

Now more than ever before, ADAO's struggle to protect Americans from deadly toxins like asbestos has moved front and center in Washington, DC. As the  Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA), a tragically ineffective revision to the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA), moves forward in the House and the FACT Act (Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act) moves from the House to the Senate, we need your support more than ever. Your representatives in Washington need to hear from you. They need to know that CICA will not allow the EPA the authority to ban asbestos or protect Americans from thousands of other toxins. They need to know that the FACT Act isn't about transparency; it's about delaying and denying compensation to victims who are dying from asbestos-related disease. Call your Senators today to urge them to stop the FACT Act! On July 17, 2014, ADAO will hold our 6th Congressional Staff Briefing in Washington, DC. Let your Senators know how important it is for them to be there and to pass true TSCA Reform. As James Jones, Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the EPA testified: "... in the more than three and a half decades since the passage of TSCA, the EPA has only been able to require testing on just a little more than 200 of the 84,000 chemicals listed on the TSCA inventory and has regulated or banned only five..." We need legislation that truly protects Americans from preventable toxic diseases. 

  

Together, change is possible. 

 

Linda

 

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EDUCATION
Exciting News!

ADAO was founded to be the Voice of Asbestos Victims. We will continue to make your voices heard until we celebrate a world free from asbestos disease.  Some days, it is hard to face what a long, difficult road we travel, but when we remember the Meso Warriors we have lost, our voices grow even stronger. It is with renewed determination and energy that we return to Washington D.C. on July 17, 2014 for our sixth Congressional Staff Briefing, entitled "Asbestos: The Impact on Public Health, the Environment, and the Economy." This Senate Briefing will address the dangers of asbestos, the need for Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform, and the opposition of asbestos victims and families to the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act. The briefing boasts an impressive list of speakers and a range of asbestos topics including:

  • Asbestos: History, Facts, and Stats - Barry Castleman, ScD, Environmental Consultant
  • Diagnosing and Treating Asbestos-Related Diseases - Christine Oliver, MD
  • Asbestos Exposures in Homes, Schools, and Workplaces - Tony Rich
  • Asbestos Took My Son Away - Sandra Neuenschwander, Mesothelioma Victim
  • Asbestos Impact: Medically, Legally, and TSCA Reform - Linda Reinstein, President, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Read More ...
Global Action: ADAO Wants to Take Your Photo #Message2Congress!

 

ADAO wants to take your face, your story, and your message all the way to DC! Congress needs to hear from you - asbestos victims, workers, members of the scientific community - that they need to act NOW to protect public health and civil rights.

  

We encourage everyone to join us in sharing your message to Congress in 3 easy steps! Read More ...

 

Your photo will put a face to this issue. ADAO will collect every photo shared with this hashtag, and Congress will see your selfies at ADAO's 6th Congressional Staff Briefing on July 17th.

 

Special thanks to Ann Samuelson for her dedication to ADAO in honor of her father, Stan, and the countless other asbestos victims fighting to raise awareness and policy to end this man-made disaster. Read More ...

  1. Unite with other asbestos victims
  2. Have your story hand-delivered to Congress
  3. Shape policy to ban asbestos and find a cure
It's time to speak up! Congress needs to hear from you now more than ever. ADAO will share your asbestos stories at our Senate Staff Briefing on July 17, 2014. Your voices will help us stop the FACT Act and fight for real reform to our Toxic Chemical Laws.  There is nothing more powerful to our representatives in Congress than the voices of their constituents. Asbestos affects everyone, from all 50 states. Please Share Your Story about how you or your loved one has been affected by asbestos or an asbestos-caused disease such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis. If we receive your story before June 30, we can hand-deliver your story to your Senators' staffers at our Senate Staff Briefing. Remember, you are not alone. Click here to read the ADAO Share Your Story Collection. Together, change is possible.
 
In 2011, I began mentoring Sinem Kankotan, a Turkish native and student, after our brief meeting in Istanbul following the United Nations World Congress. Sinem truly impressed me and I saw an immense amount of fire and passion behind her brown eyes. During these past years, Sinem's goal has been clear - to organize her first asbestos awareness conference in Turkey, and to ultimately see an asbestos ban. 
 
This month, Sinem turned that goal into a reality. On May 16, while I was on vacation in Turkey, Sinem asked if I could join her at the Dokuz Eylul University to present at her "Asbestos - Future Summit" conference. Read More...

  

Sunday marked the 27th Annual National Cancer Survivors Day (NCSD) which provided a wonderful opportunity for cancer survivors to connect with other survivors, celebrate milestones, and recognize family and friends for their support.
 
 
Enjoy each day and make memories to last a lifetime. Read More ...

May was National Cancer Research Month, a time when knowledge and action unite at ADAO. There is still no cure for mesothelioma and lung cancer caused by asbestos disease. Here are three things you can do to take action:
ADVOCACY
Save the Date!
Stay tuned for more! 



David and Kieran Brewer
 
Last month, I was delighted to interview Kieran Brewer about his fundraising efforts for Cancer Research UK's Relay For Life. Kieran has been raising asbestos awareness for years, like his mother, ADAO's dear friend, Debbie Brewer. Teams like Kieran's, called the Misfits, raised funds in their local communities throughout the year and came together on May 24, 2014 in an inspiring overnight celebration and commemoration.  You can still donate in support of Kieran's efforts.  I began the interview by asking Kieran why the Relay for Life is important to him.

 

Kieran: It's important because it gives all cancer that extra bit of limelight and by doing that we increase the chances of finding a cure for this terrible disease. Read More... 


Chloe Boarer is a 19-year-old college student living in the UK with a sense of activism not many her age possess. Last year, Chloe lost her Grandad to mesothelioma. Because of the support and care Hampshire Asbestos Support (HASAG) provided for her grandparents, Chloe was inspired to raise money for their program. Read More...
COMMUNITY

 

This June it will be a year since our community lost two beloved Mesothelioma Warriors. Our hearts still break as we remember Janelle Bedel and Debbie Brewer this month. Please join ADAO in sending their families our support and prayers as they continue their healing journey and light a candle in loving memory on June 9th for Debbie and June 19th for Janelle. Read More ...

 

 


Mesothelioma Patient Raises Awareness Through Music

Troi Atkinson is a talented songwriter and Americana/Folk Rock musician formerly with Funk-IT Records. In 2012, his life changed drastically when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Since then, Troi has vowed to use his musical talents as a vehicle of social change to raise mesothelioma and asbestos awareness. He powerfully opens up about living with mesothelioma in his new song, "Not Ready Yet." 

Extraordinary Asbestos Victims' Advocate and 
Queensland Asbestos-Related Disease Support Society Volunteer

On behalf of ADAO, we send our sincere condolences to Ray's family and friends.  I will always remember this great man and his extraordinary efforts to raise awareness, help others, and find a cure. Ray, your legacy lives on in each of us. ~ Linda Reinstein


"Ray Colbert was born in Western Queensland, moving to Brisbane in his childhood. Ray spent more than ten years of his life in the Navy, and it was during this time that he was first exposed to asbestos. Read More...
FEATURED SHARE YOUR STORY

We have all been touched by asbestos in individual ways, yet we are joined together by a firm community bond. As a testament to the strength of our global family, 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 Troi, a beloved member of our ADAO family. Read More...
ADAO New Website
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure. ADAO is an independent global organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education, advocacy, and community. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org