Farewell to Jan Egerton - Mesothelioma Warrior

A Fond Farewell to Jan Egerton – Friend and Mesothelioma Warrior

Jan Egerton, wife, author, friend to countless people worldwide, and a decade-long mesothelioma warrior, lost her battle to the cancer this morning. The mesothelioma community rallied around Jan, and her husband Gary, during this last week as Jan was released from the grips of the disease that she despised.

Since being diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2004, Jan has undergone nearly every procedure available to mesothelioma patients including multiple rounds of chemotherapy, several surgeries, cryoblation, radiation and various other procedures to hold the cancer cells at bay. The journey with the “nasty cancer,” Jan told me one day, “is like a nonstop roller coaster.” Yet, throughout all she endured, Jan’s love of her husband, her beloved dogs, Bear and Lexi, and life itself never failed to shine through.

I reached out to Jan just over a year ago to ask her if she would allow me to share her story on Mesothelioma Help of her ups and downs with her battle against mesothelioma. However humble, she supported my stories about her, and also wrote her own articles for us to post to ensure a patient’s voice is heard. She said, “I hope that by sharing my information here, I can help others find the reality of what happens to people with mesothelioma.” I could not have known that a year later I would be mourning the loss of not just a courageous woman, but of a friend who welcomed me into her world with open arms.

Jan was a true inspiration and her positive attitude and fighting spirit gave strength to everyone in the mesothelioma community, and anyone lucky enough to have met her. And that was evident in the outpouring of support on Facebook over the last few days: “You are an inspirational fighter who will be sadly missed.” “Your survival story has and will be a beacon of hope to me for years to come.” “We are proud of the gallant fight you are fighting.” One person echoed everyone’s thoughts best, saying simply, “I hate you mesothelioma.”

Jan not only created a Facebook community for mesothelioma patients and families to meet and support each other, but she carefully chronicled her journey and hopes through her blog, “Mesothelioma – Jan’s Journey.” For Jan, writing was a release for her and it helped her deal with her cancer. Instead of “mesothelioma eating away at me from the inside, writing has given it a way to come out and keep me sane,” she said.

Jan wanted others facing a similar battle to know what to expect and to have someone to turn to for support. “We need to help each other, as we know more about this cancer than anyone else.”

Jan melded her love of writing with her desire to help find a cure for mesothelioma by writing a novel, “The Dreamweaver’s Choice,” and by donating the proceeds to the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund. For Jan’s work with the MKMRF and her continued generosity to help fund research efforts by the organization, Chris Knighton named Jan Ambassador for MKMRF.

“Jan is a source of inspiration and hope to so many people living with mesothelioma,” Chris said. “What better person could we have as an ambassador than Jan?”

Jan never gave up in her fight to raise awareness of mesothelioma and to encourage others to fight with her. She reiterated this in her last blog entry on January 12: “To my fellow warriors, keep the torch burning.”

Godspeed, my friend.

All of us at Mesothelioma Help send our deepest condolences to Gary and to all of Jan’s family and friends during this very difficult time.

Find more of Jan’s insights into life with mesothelioma on “Faces of Mesothelioma.”

Jan’s book, “The Dreamweaver’s Choice,” is available for Kindle at Amazon.com. USA readers can order here, UK readers can access the book here. [Note: Jan also wrote a second book, “The Vial of Darkness,” and just received the hard copies from the printer.] If you would like to download our free e-book, please visit this page.

Mesothelioma & the Military: The Many Sources of Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other cancers. Millions of Americans have died over the past 50 years from asbestos exposure. Those who served in the military – particularly the Navy – continue to develop asbestos-related illnesses.

How the Navy Used ACM Products

The Navy used asbestos containing materials (ACMs) for many purposes. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs War Related Illness & Injury Study Center, the Navy used ACMs on ships that were built before 1983 – many of which were in service for decades afterwards.

ACMs were used in many materials, including boilers, turbines, pumps, gaskets, valves, cements, adhesives and pipe coverings. They were extensively used in engine and boiler rooms. Navy veterans were exposed to asbestos when working in very close quarters, which has resulted in an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related illness.

Navy Veterans at Increased Risk

Navy veterans who are at an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related illness include those who:

were involved in repair of asbestos-containing equipment or removal of asbestos materials
served on ships whose keels were laid before 1983
worked in shipyards from the 1930s through the 1990s
worked below deck before the early 1990s
handled, removed or disturbed any ACM during duty
worked as pipe fitters, welders, boiler tenders, electricians, machinists and firemen before the mid-1990s

Unfortunately, many service members often worked directly with asbestos products in tight areas with poor ventilation and were not provided with proper respiratory protection. For many Navy service members, this was a deadly combination.

Serious Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure

Many Navy veterans were continually exposed to asbestos that caused them to contract asbestos-related diseases that affect the lungs or membranes around the lungs such as respiratory cancer (lung cancer and mesothelioma), asbestosis and other types of cancer:

Respiratory Cancer. There are two types of respiratory cancers that are generally caused by asbestos exposure – mesothelioma and lung cancer.
- Mesothelioma affects the mesothelium, a thin membrane that covers the internal organs of the body. Although there are several types of mesothelioma, most affect the membranes surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).
- Lung cancer forms in the tissues of the lung, usually in the cells that line the air passages. Lung cancer from asbestos generally does not manifest for decades after exposure. Cigarette smoking, along with asbestos exposure, can increase the risk of lung cancer by 50 to 100 times.
Asbestosis. Asbestosis is a condition that causes lung tissue to scar and become thick, stiff and fibrotic. It can be a progressive process and result in shortness of breath. It is often associated with a chronic cough or bronchitis and can eventually lead to disability and death.
Other Cancers. According to the Institute of Medicine, research shows that asbestos exposure can also lead to other cancers – especially those that affect the pharynx, larynx, stomach, colon and rectum.

The tragedy is that these illnesses could have been prevented if proper precautions had been taken to avoid asbestos exposure. Unfortunately, asbestos manufacturers failed to provide sufficient warnings of the health hazards of their products.

Navy Veterans Deserve Compensation for Their Injuries

Any Navy veteran who was injured due to asbestos exposure is likely dealing with costly cancer treatments and other medical expenses that wouldn’t have been necessary had the asbestos companies provided adequate warnings. Navy veterans deserve compensation to cover these costs, and an experienced mesothelioma attorney can analyze your situation to determine your possible legal options against an asbestos manufacturer, distributor or seller.

CaringBridge Keeps You Updated on Mesothelioma Patient’s Progress

I have recently been following a friend through CaringBridge.org. It is a free, web-based site where family members can inform friends about a patient’s status. I think it is such a useful tool for families to utilize while their loved one is sick. It is difficult to call friends and family to give updates at the end of the day, when all you really want to do is take a deep breath and close your eyes. But with CaringBridge, you can type in updates when it is convenient to you, and those following you will receive an email indicating the information has been updated.

CaringBridge is a non-profit organization that allows you to write updates about your loved one and explain the patient’s status. In addition, the site also allows users to keep an online journal, offer a guestbook where friends and family can check-in and leave comments, and even maintain a personal planner where friends can sign up to help you in your day-to-day tasks such as picking up a prescription, or taking your kids to sports practice.

The beauty of this is that you don’t have to deal with the questions that come at you from everywhere – you can direct everyone to your CaringBridge site for the answers. People can sign the guestbook and offer words of encouragement, prayers, pictures or just support. I have to tell you, I am constantly waiting for the next update on my friend. It is as informative as you want it to be.

I know that where I work a lot of families use this site. It allows people to update their loved ones at home and around them. Oftentimes, patients will go back and read the comments. It is a good way to keep a diary of how you are enduring your journey. I have spoken with people about this site, and they seem happy that they have utilized this program.

If you have a loved one who is battling mesothelioma, consider using CaringBridge as an option for keeping your friends and family updated on his or her progress. The site has privacy settings to allow you to manage who can see the information.

For more information see CaringBridge.org.

Also, if you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, feel free to contact us.

Million Dollar Donation to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Just last week we suggested several mesothelioma support organizations to consider donating to in 2014. While non-profit organizations rely heavily on private donations to offer services to mesothelioma patients and their families, many hospitals also rely on private donations to continue to fund mesothelioma research. Now, six “elite U.S. cancer research facilities” will receive a share of $540 million, donated by the estate of the late American shipping magnate Daniel Ludwig, to apply towards fighting cancer.

According to an article from Reuters, the money will be divided equally among “Ludwig Centers” already established at Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Stanford University and the University of Chicago.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) is the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center, and is also one of the premier centers for treating mesothelioma patients. According to MSKCC’s website, the cancer center “is a leader in the treatment of mesothelioma and has one of the nation’s largest volumes of patients with this illness.” In addition, scientists at MSKCC are focused on developing new therapies and approaches to treat mesothelioma patients.

“This amazing gift will enable outstanding basic and translational scientists at the Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering to engage in high-risk, high-impact, cutting-edge research at the intersection of immunology, cancer biology, and clinical oncology,” said Alexander Rudensky, PhD, Director of the Ludwig Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in a press release announcing the gift.

MSKCC reports its Ludwig Center focuses on harnessing the power of the immune system to fight cancer. Doctors at MSKCC have recently been conducting a clinical trial using the Wilms Tumor-1 vaccine to help the body build an effective immune response to kill cancer cells. The trial was tested on mesothelioma patients to see if it delays or prevents malignant pleural mesothelioma from growing back after surgery. Don Smitley, father of MesotheliomaHelp writer Jennifer Gelsick, was a participant in that trial after which he enjoyed a year of life nearly free of mesothelioma symptoms before passing away in October 2013.

Cancer research is expensive and time-consuming, and for research related to a rare disease, such as mesothelioma, the costs can be even higher. This donation from Ludwig, among the largest publicly recorded gifts to cancer research made by a private organization, provides MSKCC with $90 million to not only fund research, but to attract “the best and the brightest new scientists and clinicians to the field of tumor immunology.”

“The extraordinarily generous gift from Ludwig Cancer Research will have a transformative impact on the Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering,” said Jedd Wolchok, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist, immunologist, and Associate Director of the Ludwig Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Director of the Swim Across America/Ludwig Collaborative Research Laboratory.

Novel Immunotherapy Cancer Free - Mesothelioma

Five Lessons I Learned from Caring for My Father During his Fight with Mesothelioma

When I was asked to write about what I’d learned from living with someone with cancer, I was stumped. There are so many nuances that go along with this topic, where should I start? After a lot of thought, I came up with five things that I realize now are so important.

Don’t let cancer dictate every move you and your loved one make. After Dad was first diagnosed, I found myself letting my whole life revolve around cancer… not Dad necessarily, but Dad’s cancer. It can become easy to stop treating someone like a person and start treating them like a disease. Every time Dad would move or cough or say he was tired, I would instantly jump into action thinking that something was wrong. He finally told me that he was okay and he would let me know if there was a problem. I did my best to honor his request and not worry so much.
Try to relax. For your sake and for the sake of your loved one, try to take a breath and relax a little. When you stress, those around you feel it and start to feel anxious as well. This doesn’t fare well for anyone involved.
Ask for help. A cancer diagnosis comes with a lot of challenges and tough choices that you would never think of. It is way too much to try to handle them alone. Talk to other family members, trusted friends, your Priest or Pastor, and ask them to assist you. Most of the time, people want to help, they just don’t want to appear nosy or overbearing. Even having someone pick up some groceries or take a trip to the post office for you can be a huge help. It’s also wonderful just to have that support around you.
Cling to your faith. Dad carried a coin with him every day that said, “Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I can’t handle together.” Take a second to think about that. It is so true. My family has relied on our faith in God to get us through every stage of this journey. From start to finish, God brought us to and through each point along the way.
Treasure every moment. I cannot stress enough how important this is. For every person, no matter what your health, our time here on earth is fleeting. Every second you spend with those you care about is special. What you might think is just a normal, boring day, is what you’ll miss when someone you love is no longer here. I would love to have even one more second to spend with my Dad, but God had a different plan. No matter what, don’t take anything for granted.

I hope that these five things will bring some comfort and help to you. Please know that my prayers and the prayers of my family are with you always. God bless you!

Month: January 2014