Ever since I learned that mesothelioma, the terminal cancer I was diagnosed with when my baby girl was just three and a half months old, was caused by asbestos – a substance I thought had been banned – I have been fighting to bring awareness to this deadly disease and the dangers of asbestos exposure.

The US surgeon general has said there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, and as early as the 1900s asbestos was suspected to be the cause of mesothelioma. In fact, Dr Irving Selikoff is credited with cementing the link between asbestos use and cases of lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The science is clear that, yes, asbestos causes cancer.

This is why this current administration’s outright attack on proven science has me nervous. In the proposed budget cuts, Trump plans on cutting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget by 31%. It would eliminate all funding for enactment of the clean power plan, the regulations designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. It would also discontinue funding for climate change research and international climate change programs.

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I feel that this administration has an anti-science stance. Recent marches in Washington by scientists, the EPA’s own employees and climate change advocates prove that many more people are worried about where this administration plans to take us – not only the proposed budget cuts, but also cutting back on regulations that are in place for the protection of the public.

In the early 1970s, if some sort of regulation had been in place for asbestos use, my dad might not have brought the deadly fibers home on his work clothes. His work coat that I would wear to do my outdoor chores was covered in a grayish white dust, which we later learned contained asbestos from the drywall taping compound he would sand off the walls.

Some 30 years later, I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. At 36 years old I had my left lung removed, along with half my diaphragm, the lining of my heart and a rib. The diaphragm and lining of my heart were replaced with Gore-Tex. I followed that up with four months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation – all while trying to raise my baby girl.

The first 18 months of Lily’s life were a blur. My only memories of her during that time are from photos. So much of that period is lost because of my illness. My daughter has been raised with the knowledge of my cancer, and although I remain disease-free 11 years after my surgery, we both know that could change at any moment. No 11-year-old should carry the burden of knowing her mom’s cancer could come back at any time.

If regulations or a ban had been in place, my dad may not have died of kidney cancer just eight years after my battle. Asbestos has been known to play a part in many cancers, yet it is still not banned in this country. The US is a world leader and many countries ask: if the US doesn’t ban the use of asbestos, why should we? Asbestos use is a truly global problem.

Mesothelioma deaths continue to rise, which is a tragedy considering every death could have been prevented. Our own president has been quoted extolling the virtues of asbestos and even claiming that abatement is a mob conspiracy. The man who was chosen to head the EPA has said he remains unconvinced of the dangers of asbestos.

Put these alarming statements together with climate change denial, repealing healthcare and the blatant disregard for human life, is it any wonder so many people are worried about what this administration means for our future?



I’m not worried about my own health. I’m worried about that of my daughter, and all children. The chemical council has a powerful lobby in Washington, one that people like me are trying to fight with our stories.

I’ve lived the nightmare of what asbestos does to a person. I’ve been fighting it for 11 years and I’ve lost countless friends in the mesothelioma community. The death toll continues to rise and until something is done, like stricter regulations or an all-out ban, my fear is that the number is going to keep creeping up. Let’s face it: one death from asbestos exposure is too many, but how many more will it take until they listen?

I for one don’t want to know that number. My hope is that many people will take this as a call to action. You can do something, You can make a difference.

Start locally, in your own city, your own town. Get to know your city council, and introduce yourself to the people who represent you in your state. Make phone calls to your representatives. Get to know the staffers who work on environmental and health care issues and meet with them, email, or call them. Every call makes a difference. Now is the time to speak up and make sure that science, and our environment isn’t put on the chopping block.