Thursday, February 05, 2009
Johnny Ray Turner Introduces Legislation.
FRANKFORT – Senator Johnny Ray Turner, D-Drift, filed legislation Tuesday to declare September 26 of each year as Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs.
“The establishment of a Mesothelioma Awareness Day in Kentucky would raise public awareness about the prevalence of mesothelioma and the serious problems associated with the disease,” Senator Turner said.
The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. EPA identifies asbestos as “one of the most hazardous substances to which humans are exposed in both occupational and non-occupational settings.”
Each year approximately 3,000 Americans die from mesothelioma. Between 2,500 and 3,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually and 30 percent of all mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos on Naval ships and in shipyards.
Senator Turner said that it is important to raise the awareness of this rare cancer because exposure to asbestos for as little as one month can result in mesothelioma 30 years later.
Asbestos was used in the construction of virtually all office buildings, public schools, and homes built before 1975.
There is no specific treatment for mesothelioma and the expected survival rate of those diagnosed with the disease is between 8 and 12 months.
Many of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers from Ground Zero September 11, 2001 could be at great risk of contracting mesothelioma in the future.
Senate Bill 58 will be considered during the 2009 legislative session
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs.
“The establishment of a Mesothelioma Awareness Day in Kentucky would raise public awareness about the prevalence of mesothelioma and the serious problems associated with the disease,” Senator Turner said.
The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. EPA identifies asbestos as “one of the most hazardous substances to which humans are exposed in both occupational and non-occupational settings.”
Each year approximately 3,000 Americans die from mesothelioma. Between 2,500 and 3,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually and 30 percent of all mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos on Naval ships and in shipyards.
Senator Turner said that it is important to raise the awareness of this rare cancer because exposure to asbestos for as little as one month can result in mesothelioma 30 years later.
Asbestos was used in the construction of virtually all office buildings, public schools, and homes built before 1975.
There is no specific treatment for mesothelioma and the expected survival rate of those diagnosed with the disease is between 8 and 12 months.
Many of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers from Ground Zero September 11, 2001 could be at great risk of contracting mesothelioma in the future.
Senate Bill 58 will be considered during the 2009 legislative session
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 10:29 AM 
