Mesothelioma Awareness Day falls on September 26th each year. Since 2004, this day has helped raise awareness about mesothelioma cancer. In 2010, Congress officially recognized Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Supporters of this day include patients, loved ones, researchers, doctors and survivors. Groups working towards a cancer cure often provide social and financial support, too.
Participating in this day helps to spread information about mesothelioma. This helps raise funds for research about mesothelioma treatment. People can get involved in many ways, like attending Mesothelioma Awareness Day events. The mesothelioma cancer community also comes together to connect and share their experiences.
The Importance of Mesothelioma Awareness Day
Mesothelioma is an asbestos cancer caused by exposure to the mineral. A main goal of Mesothelioma Awareness Day is to increase education about this cancer. Raising mesothelioma awareness is important for many reasons.
- Awareness can lead some people to a diagnosis sooner. An early diagnosis may offer the best possible prognosis for patients.
- Research and awareness can help with early symptom identification. The disease’s long latency period can make diagnosis difficult. In general, mesothelioma develops 10 – 50 years after exposure.
- Many people are at-risk for this cancer. In fact, more than 20 million people in the United States are at risk of developing mesothelioma.
- Increased visibility about the dangers of asbestos exposure can bring it to the forefront of vulnerable populations’ minds. Preventing asbestos exposure may help prevent mesothelioma.
It is key to raise awareness about who is at risk of asbestos exposure. Increased awareness may lead people to speak to their doctor sooner about potential exposure risks. This may lead to earlier testing, diagnosis and treatment.
How to Participate in Mesothelioma Awareness Day
There are many participation options for anyone interested in observing Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Some people may want to attend events on this day. People may also join in fundraising efforts or find support from community members.
To observe Mesothelioma Awareness Day, people may choose to:
- Attend virtual or in-person educational events. Common topics include learning more about mesothelioma and recent treatment advances.
- Donate. People can help fund mesothelioma research by donating to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and other foundations.
- Dress in blue. Show support for the community and help raise awareness by wearing blue.
- Join fundraising efforts. There are often fundraising walks or other types of local and virtual events on this day.
- Post to social media. Use the tag #curemeso for any mesothelioma awareness posts.
- Share infographics. The Mesothelioma Foundation makes many mesothelioma and asbestos graphics to help with online visibility.
- Visit a Light the World Blue landmark. Many major buildings will use blue lights to support Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Buildings Turning Blue for Mesothelioma Awareness Day
In 2020, an oncology company called Novocure® began a Mesothelioma Awareness Day initiative. Buildings across the country participated by turning their lights blue on September 26th. Last year, more than 40 buildings lit up blue to support Mesothelioma Awareness. This year, the goal is to light a building in every state.
Besides being an attention-getter, Light the World Blue has a social component too. Supporters of Mesothelioma Awareness Day can take pictures in front of the buildings. Many people share these photos on social media with the hashtag #curemeso. This helps raise awareness in a noticeable way about mesothelioma.
Sites Participating in Light the World Blue
In 2023, some noteworthy buildings and historical sites lighting up blue for mesothelioma awareness include:
The full list of landmarks and buildings supporting Mesothelioma Awareness includes:
Want to help light up the U.S. to help raise awareness of mesothelioma? Those interested in bringing the blue to their city can follow these instructions from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation:
- First, identify a local building or landmark near you with lighting capabilities and check their website or contact their office in order to see if they take lighting requests.
- Ask for the landmark to be lit blue on September 26th for Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Landmark websites often have a form for submitting this type of request.
- Contact the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation at [email protected] and let them know the application status: submitted, confirmed or denied.
Additional information can be found on the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation website.
Mesothelioma Awareness Day offers support for the mesothelioma community. It also raises public awareness and funds for mesothelioma research. Securing funding for research helps mesothelioma researchers and specialists continue their work toward finding a cure.
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