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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010

Kentucky House Approves Mesothelioma Awareness Day Bill

The Kentucky House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 62 designating September 26th of each year as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The bill as approved on Monday was amended to include an unrelated house bill related to child deaths in the state.

September 26 of each year is designated “Mesothelioma Awareness Day” throughout the Commonwealth. The Governor shall proclaim September 26 of each year as “Mesothelioma Awareness Day” and shall encourage Kentuckians to support research into effective treatments and early detection methods.

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Close to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with the cancer yearly. Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure, with the latency period sometimes as long as 50 years. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, it can be treated with varying degrees of success through the use of surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation started the initiative in 2005 with a goal to “bring attention to this underfunded, asbestos-related cancer through a national campaign.” Last year almost twenty cities and states participated.

Sources:
Bill Passes
Belluck Applauds Bill