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Silent Death…Are You at Risk?

by: Mike Andrews

Did you know that every year over 2000 people are sentenced to death without trial? But the verdict does not come from a jury of their peers or even from a judge. It is read by doctors wearing little white lab coats in private offices all across the country. What’s even more disturbing is the fact that this sentence could have been avoided had the proper precautions been taken.

We can trace the origins of this silent killer back to the turn of the 20th century. In the early 1900s a new material was being introduced to the industrial giants of the time. This material was called asbestos, and it became a widely used component due to its flexibility of use, and insulative properties. Little did we know at the time that this same material that was providing us with an increased efficiency and productivity would also claim the lives of the very workers who were using and working around it.

During the World Wars asbestos would become a primary material used for much of our equipment and supplies. Then came the golden age of this wonder material, throughout the 1950s up through the 1970s asbestos would be a common staple of industry and factory life. Hundreds of thousands would be exposed directly and millions indirectly as asbestos was used in schools to insulate piping, and even in homes.

You may know the silent killer I’m referring to already, I’m referring to Mesothelioma.

Mesotheli-what-a?

Mesothelioma, a form of cancer directly related to or rather primarily caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. The thing that separates this malignant cancer from all the other forms, and the reason I refer to it as silent death, is because mesothelioma cancer does not become malignant immediately. Instead it lays dormant within the carriers system for 30 to 40 years before the symptoms become apparent.

This is precisely why today there is a higher diagnosis rate of this form of cancer than ever before. The carriers have lived with this disease for 30 plus years and it’s only now rearing its ugly head. Over the last decade thousands of cases have been brought before courts across the country for negligence on the part of the employers. What’s interesting to note is that the majority of these cases are winning, and often paying out in the millions. So much so, that an entire breed of lawyer has been born that specializes in, you guessed it, mesothelioma cases.

Now, no amount of money can cure these people. I’m sure that they are not turning the money down, but it I’m also sure that they would give it up in a heartbeat to find a cure. The most important thing one can do is get checked early for signs of mesothelioma cancer. Early detection makes the treatment much more effective and allows for an increased survivability rate.

Even if you cannot remember being exposed to asbestos you may have been exposed indirectly. In fact, I remember the high school I attended growing up, brining in a team for a week and tearing the building apart in order to remove the asbestos that was used to insulate the piping. It just goes to show that you can never be sure. If caught early you can improve your chances of suppressing the disease. Get checked, it might just be the smartest move you ever make.

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