Category: Featured News

Survivor of Royal Navy Vessel Sunk in WWII Succumbs to Mesothelioma

• Brian Eckert
• Featured News, Veterans

A former serviceman who survived the sinking of a battleship torpedoed by Germans in the Second World War recently died at his home in Berkshire, England of the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma.

Herbert Pocock was one of 1,200 crewmembers aboard the HMS Royal Oak in October 1939 when it was sunk by a German U-Boat in Scapa Flow, a harbor in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, that served as a deep water anchorage for Royal Navy ships during World War II. More than 800 men died in the nighttime attack.

One of fewer than 400 survivors of the sinking, Mr. Pocock, according to an article in the Scotsman, considered himself to be a very lucky man. But more than 75 years after he narrowly escaped with his life from the Royal Oak, it turns out that Pocock’s service to his country did, in the end, cost him his life, as a coroner ruled that his death was the result of asbestos.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/scapa-flow-torpedo-survivor-killed-by-asbestos-1-3610691

Coroner Peter Bedford found in his post-mortem examination of Pocock that the former Royal Navy engineer had malignant mesothelioma on his right lung as well as asbestos fibers in his tissue.

“As soon as I hear Royal Navy and engineer, that is a known link to asbestos,” Bedford told the Scotsman. “His exposure to asbestos is a result of his employment at some point in the past.”

Navy Veterans Diagnosed With Mesothelioma at a High Rate

Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that’s rare in the general population but not among certain groups of workers, including Navy veterans. In fact, Military.com reports that veterans make up just 8% of the entire U.S. population but represent around one-third of all U.S. mesothelioma deaths. And among veterans, Navy veterans are the highest risk group for asbestos-related diseases.

The reason for this is that virtually all Navy ships commissioned between 1930 and 1980 contained asbestos-containing materials. In Navy vessel engine rooms and boiler rooms, asbestos was used on pumps, valves, boilers and turbines. Valves and pumps also had asbestos gaskets and packing.

If you worked aboard a Navy vessel with asbestos, particularly in the engine or boiler room, there is a very good chance that you inhaled asbestos fibers. Civilian shipyard workers who built and maintained Navy vessels may also have been exposed to asbestos. There is even a risk of exposure among the family members of Navy veterans and shipyard workers because asbestos fibers may have been carried home on clothing.

With a latency period of 15-60 years, mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, especially because symptoms, such as chest pain and a persistent cough, can mimic those of less-severe respiratory ailments. Herbert Pocock, for example, in recent years suffered with fluid on his lungs—a symptom of mesothelioma—but a diagnosis was never made.

Contact an Experienced Mesothelioma Attorney

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, the law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP, can help. We are a nationally-recognized New York law firm that represents Navy veterans and shipyard workers in cases against asbestos companies that failed to provide warning of their products’ dangers. We’ve obtained substantial compensation for those harmed by asbestos, including a $32 million verdict for a Navy veteran.

For help with your claim, contact Belluck & Fox, LLP, today for a free consultation.

Learn About Mesothelioma During Lung Cancer Awareness Month

• Nancy Meredith
• Featured News

For many people, November means apple cider, pumpkin pie, and Thanksgiving. In the health and medical fields, November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which emphasizes education and awareness of all things about lung cancer and other cancers affecting the respiratory system – such as mesothelioma.

The Ebola crisis that made headlines this October shows how easy it is to misunderstand or, worse, twist information about disease and health. Teaching the facts about mesothelioma, its symptoms, and its causes can help patients, family members, and friends better understand the disease and help advocate for the community.

Let’s Get the Facts Straight About Mesothelioma

In the spirit of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, here are some basic facts about mesothelioma that patients, family members, and friends can share with others.

1. Mesothelioma is not contagious. No one can “catch” it.
2. Some people that have mesothelioma blog about it and are okay if you ask them questions.
3. The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a mineral with long, thin fibers that were inhaled or swallowed by people who worked around it. Other people who lived with those who worked with asbestos and carried fibers home on their clothing also breathed them in and can develop the cancer.
4. More than one-third of U.S. mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos during military service.
5. There are treatments for mesothelioma and others are being tested in medical trials in the U.S. and around the world, but there is no cure.
6. Although there are many bans on using asbestos, it is still allowed in some industries and products such as car brakes. It is still found in many older homes and buildings. Asbestos is not banned in the U.S.
7. Asbestos is not dangerous until it breaks, flakes, or is somehow disturbed. For that reason, people who renovate old homes or replace old pipes, wiring, insulation, etc., should contact certified asbestos contractors if asbestos is present.
8. Mesothelioma often takes years, even decades, to develop in a person.

Know the Symptoms for Mesothelioma

Everyone has some of these symptoms once in a while, but when they don’t go away, they should be reviewed by a doctor. The sooner mesothelioma is diagnosed, the more tools patients and doctors have to fight it. Common symptoms for mesothelioma include:

• Pain in the lower back or sides of the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Constant coughing
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Night sweats

Before the 1980s, people who worked in these jobs may have been routinely exposed to asbestos:

• Navy and Merchant Marine shipbuilders
• Construction workers: plumbers, lathers, pipefitters, welders, electricians, and drywall installers
• Paper mill workers
• Airplane and auto mechanics
• Firefighters

On-Line Voting Is Open for the Mesothelioma Help Scholarship Contest

• Nancy Meredith
• Featured News

The judges have selected the top five essays in this year’s “Jan Egerton and Don Smitley Mesothelioma Scholarship,” and now the public can help select the order of the finalists. The public voting period runs through Nov.17.

College students from across the United States submitted essays about the history of asbestos, treatments for mesothelioma, and personal stories of mesothelioma patients. With 128 essays submitted, the judges spent countless hours reading and re-reading them.

The essays were judged by Jennifer Gelsick, whose father Don Smitley, one of the scholarship’s namesakes, lost his battle to mesothelioma last year, and Lisa Hyde-Barrett, a thoracic surgery nurse. Both of them write for “Faces of Mesothelioma,” offering differing insights into life with mesothelioma.

“Being a judge for the scholarship contest was an honor for me,” said Jennifer. “It was humbling to see how hard each contestant worked on their essay. I learned a lot about the history of mesothelioma and I enjoyed reading the personal stories that were shared.”

The top five finalists are:

• Erienne Overli – University of Nevada, Reno
• Fernando Salazar – University of New Mexico
• Jennifer Schnalzer – Rockland Community College
• Justin Hellier – Irvine Valley College
• Samantha Robeson – University of Delaware

This year’s top five finalists will use social media to garner votes to help them win a share of the scholarship money. In addition to helping with the cost of education, the scholarship organizers hope to spread the word of the dangers of asbestos and to educate college students and their families about mesothelioma.

“I do think the contest helps to spread awareness of the toll mesothelioma takes on families,” said Lisa. “The contest assures that the next generation has a base of informed students to continue to bring awareness to the disease.”

The scholarship prizes are:

• $5,000 – First Prize
• $2,500 – Second Prize
• $1,250 – Third Prize
• $500 – Fourth Prize
• $250 – Fifth Prize
• $100 – Honorable Mention (there are five Honorable Mention awards)

The finalists and honorable mention winners will be notified of their prizes at the end of the public voting period.

“I hope that you all realize how important it is to educate others on the dangers of asbestos and how mesothelioma impacts the lives of so many,” said Jennifer, when asked what message she has for the contestants. “It is an extremely important message that needs to be spread. Thank you on behalf of my family and the entire mesothelioma community.”

Mesothelioma Help is one of the Web’s primary resources for information on malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The website provides in-depth coverage of the disease, as well as detailed information about the available diagnostic procedures and treatment options for mesothelioma sufferers.

See Mesothelioma Help to vote for your favorite essay.

Physicians Look for Clues About Why Women with Mesothelioma Live Longer

• Nancy Meredith
• Featured News

Mesothelioma is a long, hard battle for all who are involved with the diagnosis. Recent research may provide hope for women and men.

Earlier this year, the Annals of Thoracic Surgery reported women live longer with mesothelioma than men, even when they took into account factors like age at the time of diagnosis, the stage in which patients were diagnosed, and the treatment they received.

Researchers from Mount Sinai Health System and the Department of Population Health at North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital reviewed the records of more than 14,200 mesothelioma patients diagnosed between 1973 and 2009. Twenty-two percent were women. They looked at factors that can impact treatment outcomes:

• Age
• Year of diagnosis
• Race
• Disease stage
• Cancer-directed surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Vital stats (such as marriage status, number of children)

Overall, women with mesothelioma were found to live longer—as much as 13 percent longer. It’s logical to wonder if female hormones play a positive role in disease survival and if they hold a clue for future treatment, or if androgens contribute to mesothelioma’s rapid spread, as they do with prostate cancer.

Hormone Therapy is Linked to Longer-Term Survival of Lung Cancer Among Women

Another interesting discovery came from the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, which reported in March, that estrogen therapy significantly lengthened survival among women with non-small-cell lung cancer. Those who had progesterone added to their treatment lived even longer.

Researchers from Detroit’s Karmanos Cancer Institute reviewed records of 485 women they identified from the Metropolitan Detroit Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry. They gathered more information through interviews and other research. The women studied were treated between late 2001 and 2005.

Women who were treated with hormone therapy for 11 or more years had much better survival rates than those without, according to a summary published by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer:

• Women who received estrogen lived for 80 months (6.6 years) versus 35 months (2.9 years) for those who had no hormone treatment.
• Women who had progesterone and estrogen treatment lived 87 months (7.25 years).

“What has emerged from this study and other published findings is a complex relationship between hormone use and lung cancer outcomes, with variation based on years of use,” Ann G. Schwartz, PhD, MPH, the lead author of the Thoracic Oncology article told IASLC. “There is more to learn about survival differences between men and women; hormone use may contribute to those differences.”

As with any serious disease, Dr. Schwartz also noted that, “The largest impact on lung cancer outcomes will come from successful early detection and treatment.”

Current Findings on Hormone Therapy for Men

Men with prostate cancer are often treated with androgen-suppressing drugs, which lowers the hormones that contribute to the cancer. Estrogens can suppress androgen, but they are rarely used because of their side effects on men, including increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

Can androgen suppression play a role in treating mesothelioma? The National Cancer Institute sponsored research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston that combined androgen suppression (hormone) therapy with docetaxel chemotherapy for prostate cancer patients. These patients lived eight months longer than those who didn’t have chemotherapy. Men in a more advanced stage of the disease showed the most positive results, according to an NCI press release.

“The results of this study are practice-changing,” said lead investigator Christopher Sweeney, M.B.B.S. “Perhaps this kind of therapy will benefit other diseases that predominantly affect men.”

Sources:

• Annals of Thoracic Surgery
  http://secure.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/action/cookieAbsent
• National Cancer Institute
  http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/features/when-a-friend-has-cancer
• International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
  https://www.iaslc.org/articles/hormone-therapy-linked-better-survival-after-lung-cancer-diagnosis-women
• Journal of Thoracic Oncology
  http://journals.lww.com/jto/Pages/default.aspx?PAPNotFound=true

The Man Behind the Mesothelioma Warrior: Ray Nye Discusses Caring for His Wife

• Nancy Meredith
• Featured News

Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma face a long, demanding battle involving countless doctors’ appointments, extensive tests, surgeries, and chemotherapy treatments – and sometimes that is just the beginning since there are even legal matters such as estate planning. Managing the illness and all the appointments, on top of taking care of day-to-day living needs, takes the help of a dedicated caregiver.

Although most people picture mothers, wives and daughters as being caregivers, husbands and sons are now almost as likely to be a primary caregiver as their female counterparts.

Caregivers provide nearly constant care for mesothelioma patients as they endure often debilitating treatments. Caregiver duties can include grocery shopping, housekeeping, transportation, meal preparation, management of insurance forms, medical forms and prescriptions, and general care for the patient, as well as emotional support. For many caregivers, this is all done while trying to care for other family members.

Mavis Nye, of Seasalter, England who has been fighting mesothelioma for nearly five years, knows all too well how critical a caregiver is for her care and recovery. Her husband of 53 years, Ray, has been by her side throughout her battle, ensuring that she is cared for and that she doesn’t have to worry about anything other than her recovery.

When asked what day-to-day duties he does for Mavis, Ray said in an email to MesotheliomaHelp that his “list” varies according to how she feels. Although he always ferries her to and from hospitals, treatments and doctors’ appointments, when she is down — which usually happens for a few days during her chemotherapy treatments — Ray does nearly everything around the house. He takes over the feeding and walking of their dog, Louis, helps Mavis get dressed, and although not his strong suit, Ray even took up cooking whatever Mavis requests. But, in reality, Ray said, he does not really follow a list.

“I make it my business to do whatever Mavis asks for, whatever she needs, and if possible before she asks or even knows she wants it,” said Ray.

The Reality of Caregiving

According to the Caregiver Action Network (CAN), more than 90 million family caregivers, or two out of every five adults, in the U.S. fulfill a vital role on the care team. A 2012 article in The Independent, a British newspaper, reports that in England there were 6 million caregivers in 2012, and that number is expected to grow to over 9 million by 2037. About 42% of those caregivers are men, and one in five of full-time caregivers are forced to give up work and support a family member full-time.

Twenty hours per week is the average number of hours family caregivers spend caring for their loved ones, while 13% of family caregivers are providing 40 hours of care a week or more, according to the article “Caregiving in the United States” by the National Alliance for Caregiving, in collaboration with AARP. However, most caregivers do not keep track of the time involved, and whether it is a caregiving duty or simply part of a daily routine is not important to them.

Expert Insight

Ray Nye

“I have come to terms that it’s my place to do any extra work involved in caring. I don’t think about it anymore, it is just natural.”

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A New Role for Older Men

For older men who have been in the traditional role as provider, taking on caregiving can be challenging. Not only do they struggle with giving up their jobs, or cutting down the number of hours they work, but they must quickly shift from being doted on to taking an active role in keeping the household running. For some, that can require picking up basic cooking skills or uncovering where the cleaning supplies are stored.

In Ray’s case, Mavis tried to make the transition for him as easy as possible. As soon as she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, Mavis went into “overdrive,” said Ray. She bought a new gas stove, because she thought their electric one was too complicated. She replaced their aging microwave with a new one so they did not have to worry about it breaking down. In addition, Ray said, “Mavis replaced saucepans, sorted all her old wardrobe and disposed of it, replaced bedding, and she even planned her own funeral.”

Handing off all the work to Ray is not easy for Mavis. “I still have to fight Mavis to do jobs because she is still so independent, and feels the need to keep going. So I take note and I move in when I see I am needed.”

Ray has an added role of supporting Mavis as she advocates for mesothelioma victims across the UK. With that comes a lot of appearances and appointments for Mavis, as well as requests from reporters. Ray plans out the travel plans, gets Mavis to her destination on time, makes sure she gets back home safely, and he is also her biggest fan.

“He never moans about the long days during my appearances, and he is behind me all the time as I raise awareness,” said Mavis. “I can’t thank Ray enough for always being there for me.”

Expert Insight

Elinor Ginzler, AARP

“Caregiving men, although fewer in number, are just as dedicated, diligent and determined to help their loved one live the best life that he or she can.”

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Caregiving and Associated Costs

Caregiving can require serious medical care as well. According to CAN, almost half of the caregivers must perform “complex medical/nursing tasks for their loved ones – such as managing multiple medications, providing wound care, and operating specialized medical equipment.”

For patients without caregivers, these tasks are typically handled by a medical professional, adding to the cost of the patient’s medical care. The U.S. and British governments acknowledge that caregivers are now crucial to providing care to patients. According to recent studies, U.S. caregivers provide nearly $450 billion worth of unpaid care each year. In England, Britain’s caregivers provide an estimated £119 billion ($197 billion U.S.) of care every year.

However, caring for a loved one suffering from mesothelioma can also come with an emotional cost. For many caregivers, the inability to save their loved one from mesothelioma often turns to guilt, anger and despair. Some even ask, “Why isn’t it me that is sick?”

For male mesothelioma caregivers, who were sometimes the source of the secondhand exposure of asbestos that led to their spouse’s cancer, that question is difficult to shake. Ray is no exception – he has that question in the back of his mind on many days. He and Mavis believe her source of mesothelioma is from washing Ray’s clothes that were covered with fine asbestos dust from work at a dockyard.

“I do often wish that it was me with mesothelioma rather than Mavis — she didn’t ask or deserve it,” said Ray. “It should be me with it. But we can’t change it.”

Honoring Caregivers

Jan Egerton, who lost her over 10-year battle to mesothelioma in January, relied on her husband for many years for support and care. In a blog entry in December, Jan wrote, “To the people who love us and care for us, it is hard, it is emotional and it is wearing you out. Having to care for yourself and someone you love is a task that people don’t understand unless they are doing it themselves. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for caring.”

Each year in the U.S., November is set aside as National Family Caregivers Month as a time to honor and thank all the caregivers. In 2013, President Obama declared in the presidential proclamation: “During National Family Caregivers Month, we thank these tireless heroes for the long, challenging work they perform behind closed doors and without fanfare every day.”

Like Ray, the men who step in to care for their wives do not even hesitate to do anything their loved one needs. For him, it is an honor and a privilege to care for someone who has always been there for him.

“Mavis has always been there for me in our relationship. There is no you or me, only us, and we help each other. I love her.”

Beginning with Mavis’ illness, Mavis and Ray have documented their journey with mesothelioma. Ray writes as a caregiver, whereas Mavis talks about the illness, treatments and her efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. Below are the couples’ websites where you can follow them and learn how they manage their life with mesothelioma.

• OneStop Mesothelioma – Contains information and resources about mesothelioma and asbestos
  http://onestopmesothelioma.co.uk/index.html
• Living with Mesothelioma – Mavis’s Diary
• Ray’s Blog
• Meso Warrior – Mavis’s book available on Amazon.com
  https://www.amazon.com/Meso-Warrior-Mavis-Nye-ebook/dp/B004EHZXL6

Sources:

• AARP – Caregiving: It’s Different for Men
  http://www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving/info-07-2010/ginzler-male-caregivers.html
• Britain’s Army of Unpaid Carers
• The Independent
  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britains-army-of-unpaid-carers-being-pushed-to-breaking-point-7720677.html