September is always a big month for the ADAO community, and this year was certainly no different. Our 17th Annual International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference was an incredible success! It was also our first hybrid conference, and was live streamed for free around the world, eliminating any barrier to life-saving information. Thank you to our generous sponsors — Platinum: Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, Gold: The Gori Law Firm, and Silver: Bailey & Glasser LLP and Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen — for their generous support in making our Art, Advocacy, and Action Festival and Academic Conference possible. We currently have our 117-page conference program available online and videos for David Boraks, NPR affiliate in Charlotte, “Asbestos Town” Andrew Schneider Memorial Lecture, Friday, "Asbestos: Art, Advocacy, and Action" Festival, Saturday, “Where Knowledge and Action Unite,” and Saturday Awards and Recognition Ceremony online for easy access and sharing.
Thanks to the dedication of many, the 14th Annual Alton Miles for Meso Race was a spectacular success and the teams raised over $40,000 for ADAO’s asbestos awareness, education, and community initiatives. We were ecstatic to see such a large in-person and virtual turnout! This success would not have been possible without the support of many, including the Simmons Hanly Conroy firm, nearly 1,000 racers, donors, and volunteers, and all our supporters around the world who joined together for this tremendous weekend event. We also released our 2022 Mesothelioma Warrior Memorial Video, with nearly 300 dedications reflecting the power of unity, courage, and community.
During Mesothelioma Awareness Month, we shared 30 irrefutable facts about asbestos exposure. For the sixth year in a row, thanks to Sen. Dick Durbin, an American flag flew atop the U.S. Capitol building on September 26th in honor and remembrance of asbestos victims and their families for Mesothelioma Awareness Day. We were also excited to re-engage with John Curtis on four new political cartoons that raise awareness and call to action.
Looking ahead, ADAO is excited to embark on an education and advocacy-driven trip to Washington D.C. this month, where we will discuss the power of legislation with students at American University. We look forward to meeting with other public health advocates and policy makers to discuss new data and important information. Stay tuned for more on that!
Since October is Health Literacy Month, ADAO will be sharing information on asbestos disease and prevention in a four-part awareness and prevention blog series, starting with “Prevent Asbestos Exposure.” These blogs will present information in a way that is easy to understand and even easier to share. We hope you will share with your friends and family to educate them on the dangers of asbestos exposure. There is never a bad time to teach someone about prevention methods!
We wish you all a happy and safe October. Together, we are making a difference.
Linda Reinstein
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