Hello fellow nurses, On Mardi Gras Day I flew to Alexandria, Virginia to attend a symposium for doctors, patients and families on the subject of Malignant Mesothelioma. Prior to our arrivial, appointments had been made for each of us to meet on Capital Hill with our Senators and Representative or their assistants. I was able to share time with the Legislative Aide of Senator Vitter, John Steitz. I also met with Legislative Correspondent of Senator Landrieu, William Harris, Jr.,J.D. Both were very attentive as I spoke to them about the rising number of people in our area being diagnosed and dying of Malignant Mesothelioma. We are asking our Senators to write to the Director of the NCI, Dr Harold Varmus to urge him to designate Mesothelioma as a recalcitrant cancer. In this legislation, a recalcitrant cancer is defined as a cancer” for which the five -year relative survival rate is below 50 percent.” Unfortunately, mesothelioma meets this definition, with only a five to ten percent five-year survival rate. On day two and three of the symposium, we had speakers and panels, discussing new trials such as gene therapy given with chemotherapy, various approaches to surgery, and follow up radiation therapy. Everyone was in to sharing, both their good stories and bad. Mostly the good one. I was thrilled to meet a woman who was 14 years past her surgery. There were even family members I met whose spousesʼ did not survive, but were there to support and be supported. What brave people they all were. These doctors attended a meeting of doctors and scientists on Tuesday to share their own experiences and findings. On Thursday and Friday they mingled with the rest of us. They were all very approachable. I spoke with a doctor from England doing gene therapy, a surgeon from Pennsylvania , and a pathologist from Italy who lives in Hawaii doing research. At times I felt like my brain was in overload. It was good to learn that there may be a few trials I can get into before taking my lung out. I looked at these people, cried at times, and said to myself, if they can survive, than I can too! With God, all things are possible. Mary Morvant
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 03:55:17 +0000
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