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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 26 MESOTHELIOMA AWARENESS DAY
WHEREAS, in 2010, the United States Congress designated September 26 as Mesothelioma Awareness Day; and
WHEREAS, mesothelioma is an aggressive, asbestos-related cancer that affects the linings of the lungs, abdomen, heart or testicles; and
WHEREAS, the heavy use of asbestos in manufacturing, industry and construction has been recognized as "the worst occupational health disaster in U. S. history"; and
WHEREAS, asbestos was used in the construction of virtually every office building, public school and home built before 1975; and
WHEREAS, a high percentage of all mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos on naval ships and in shipyards; and
WHEREAS, it is now believed that many of the firefighters, police officers and rescue workers from Ground Zero on September 11, 2001 were exposed to this dangerous health risk; and
WHEREAS, exposure to asbestos for as little as one month can result in mesothelioma thirty years later; and
WHEREAS, because of occupational, Navy service related, household or even incidental exposures and the very long latency of the disease, tens of millions of Americans are now at risk for developing mesothelioma; and
WHEREAS, for decades the need for research to develop effective treatments for mesothelioma was overlooked; and
WHEREAS, the result of this neglect is that treatments available today generally have only limited effect and most patients die within twelve to fifteen months from diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation was formed to eradicate the life-ending and vicious effects of mesothelioma, and early progress in developing effective treatments for the disease is now being made; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of Mesothelioma Awareness Day raises public awareness of the disease and the need to develop effective treatments.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in conjunction wit...
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