How common is mesothelioma among women?

It is relatively rare.  While studies show that men are the most prominent victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, here are a few examples of how a women may have contracted mesothelioma, prior to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) implementation of limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace in the early 1970’s:

Working in company laundry facilities:

Women who worked in company laundry facilities, where asbestos was used in large commercial dryers and other appliances where heat and fire was a threat, were at risk for asbestos exposure.  If asbestos insulation was damaged, asbestos fibers could circulate, and potentially be inhaled or ingested.  Additionally, women who cleaned these facilities may have been exposed to fibers while sweeping asbestos dust from the floors.

SIMILARLY:

Wives of asbestos workers were subjected to second hand asbestos exposure every time they put their husband’s work clothes into the washing machine at home.  Many asbestos workers literally “brought their work home”  on their clothing and in their hair.

Working for cosmetics companies:

At one time, asbestos was used in cosmetics, and women who worked in factories that manufactured asbestos-containing make-up and powders may have inhaled the mineral on a daily basis.

During World War II:

During World War II, civilian women were often hired to work in shipyards, steel-producing facilities, and power plants to replace men who had gone to war.  Asbestos was commonplace in these environments.

PLEASE NOTE:  DR. CAMERON HAS TREATED A NUMBER OF WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA (MPM). IF YOU’RE A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH MPM AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF DR. CAMERON’S FEMALE PATIENTS, PLEASE CONTACT: ASRIBERG@PHLBI.ORG

YOUR FIRST POINT OF CONTACT:

Martha Martinez, Administrative Assistant to Dr. Cameron

“When Dr. Cameron came from San Francisco to UCLA Medical Center, I was working as temp in the cardiothoracic division.  My supervisor asked me to help Dr. Cameron “get settled,” and I never left… that was 12 years ago!  As the first point of contact for new patients and their families, my priorities are to make sure they understand what is needed in terms of paperwork and medical records.  I am bilingual, and can provide information in Spanish if needed.  If a patient has any questions or concerns, I am happy to help them in any way I can, or refer them to the appropriate person.” 

 CONTACT MARTHA AT:  310-231-2130

A STANDING INVITATION FROM PHLBI:

Please consider sharing your mesothelioma stories with other patients.

On this website we try to offer candid stories from patients and their families — people who “tell it like it is” in an effort to help others understand what to expect after a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Whether you are a mesothelioma patient, or you are a relative or friend who has a story to share with the mesothelioma community, please contact Amy Sriberg at asriberg@phlbi.org.  We will post your story online, either anonymously or with your name/photo — it’s entirely up to you.  If you’d like to make yourself available to speak with other patients, please send us your contact information and the best time to reach you.  Sharing your journey with others works wonders to alleviate the FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN, so we encourage you to be proactive so that others can learn from your experiences — good, bad, and anywhere in-between.

>Take a look at our ”Survivor Profile” posts as an example.

>I will be happy to help you craft/edit your post. 

Thank you very much!

Amy Sriberg, Executive Director

Re-thinking life and priorities after the 9/11 tragedy – how I walked away from 20 years in TV and never looked back.

By Amy Sriberg, Executive Director, Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was getting ready to go to work at Nickelodeon Studios when the unthinkable happened.  I stared at the television in shock, unable to speak, unable to comprehend what had just occured on live TV.

Everything I wrote for TV was scripted — never live — never life-changing.  For twenty years, I was a sitcom writer in Hollywood.  I wrote silly stories with happy endings for all the major networks and cable stations.  I had a great job.  I got residuals.  I was in demand.  And in an instant, none of that mattered.

“This is not my life” was what I found myself repeating like a mantra throughout the morning as I struggled to make sense of the circumstances.  I could not write a happy ending for this story.  What could I do to regain the inner peace which had always been the cornerstone of my life?  The answer came to me very quickly: I need to help people, and I need to do it now — but how?  I inherited a strong work ethic from my parents, as well as a strong commitment to philanthropy and advocacy.  I called a medical temp agency, and managed to convince the owner that my communication skills could be an asset to any medical office.  I would learn the rest on my own, I said, in the library, with a big stack of medical terminology books at my side.  The agency owner took a chance and sent me to interview at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, where I was hired to work in a plastic surgery office that focused on breast reconstruction for mastectomy patients, with a few nose jobs and tummy tucks thrown in here and there. 

I resigned from Nickelodeon (they were skeptical, yet completely supportive).  At Cedars, I quickly “learned the ropes,” and also discovered that my sitcom sensibilities came in very handy when cancer patients who knew my background pulled me aside and said they could use a good laugh.  Needless to say, I took the bait and ran with it!  Humor and healing go hand in hand — I’ve seen it hundreds of times.    

After 5 years, I left Cedars-Sinai (amicably) to see what else was out there for me, and heard that the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute was looking for a new Executive Director.  I met Dr. Robert Cameron and knew immediately that I needed to work with this exceptional, brilliant man, and work to push the topic of mesothelioma from the back burner to the front of the line.  This is not an easy chore, but I am committed to putting Dr. Cameron “on the map” and helping mesothelioma patients and their families in every way possible.

I am also not shy about asking for money, so please consider supporting Dr. Robert Cameron’s mesothelioma research projects, (click on the research tab on the home page to view) which may eventually lead to a “happy ending” where Dr. Cameron is able to fight back and win the battle against this lethal enemy.     Amy Sriberg 1/5/2009