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Wife Vows to Continue to Fight for Mesothelioma Cure

Monday, September 7, 2009

by Nancy Meredith
Shelly Kozicki continues her fight for a mesothelioma cure and for a ban on asbestos after her husband Craig Kozicki lost his 11 year battle to the deadly cancer on April 1, 2009. While helping her husband beat peritoneal mesothelioma, Shelly dedicated her time to learning as much as she could about the causes and treatments for mesothelioma, then became an advocate and fundraiser to find a cure for the cancer.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma can affect the lungs, the heart or the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects less than 10% of mesothelioma patients, and develops in the abdomen in the mesothelial cells that form a layer called the peritoneum. Like all types of mesothelioma, there is no known cure for the disease.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Craig Kozicki and his wife Shelly were devastated when Craig was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of 42 with mesothelioma. Craig chose an aggressive, tri-modal treatment approach offered by Dr. Taub and Dr. Chabot at the Columbia Presbyterian Cancer Center in New York City. Craig underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in an effort to increase his survival rate. Although met with various setbacks throughout his years of treatment, Craig was able to return to work full-time, enjoy various sports including golf, and continue a normal life with his family including taking vacations and even walking his daughter down the aisle at her wedding.

Seeing firsthand the pain and suffering caused by mesothelioma, the Kozickis became activists for mesothelioma victims and for halting the use of asbestos in the United States so future generations will not have to be concerned with developing mesothelioma. Craig challenged his physicians with his treatment with experimental surgeries, and newly devised chemotherapy cocktails – all the while inspiring other patients to fight the disease. Craig continued to share his story as a long-term mesothelioma cancer survivor throughout his 11 year battle.

Partnership with Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
Shelly and Craig joined the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) where Shelly found an organization that she could support and lean on while she began to urge the government to ban asbestos in the United States, and to increase the research towards finding a cure.

Shelly became MARF’s most effective volunteer fundraiser. Through her efforts she raised $100,000 that funded a federal government researcher at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Ho, funded by the "Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Grant in Honor of Craig Kozicki" has had early success focusing on developing antibodies to fight the cancer.

Volunteers of the Year
Shelly and Craig were named the 2009 MARF volunteers of the year. Shelly attended the MARF Symposium in Washington, D.C., and accepted the award for herself, and posthumously, for her husband. During her acceptance speech Shelly vowed to continue to fund additional grants to continue the research effort. She then challenged the attendees to support the fundraising effort resulting in over $100,000being raised during the event. That is the first time a plea for funding has ever been made at the Symposium.

Shelly, along with her family and friends, continue to reach out to the public through a blog and through various fundraising efforts including 5K runs. One is being held on Mesothelioma Awareness Day on September 26th. In addition, donations can be made directly to MARF in memory of Craig Kozicki. Shelly said she promised Craig that she "would continue to fight for what is right…And that is finding a cure and stopping the importing of asbestos into the US.”

Resources:
Craig Kozicki blog
Volunteer of the Year Award from MARF
Craig Kozicki page - MARF

Labels: Featured Story

posted by Nancy Meredith at 9:25 PM
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