Mesothelioma Awareness Day: Motley Rice urges City of Charleston, S.C., to recognize Mesothelioma Awareness Day

During the Sept. 23, 2014, Charleston, S.C., City Council meeting, Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. read a proclamation declaring Sept. 26, 2014, as Mesothelioma Awareness Day in the City of Charleston. Motley Rice asbestos attorney Anne McGinness Kearse received the proclamation and made remarks on behalf of the firm and our clients. 

Kearse noted that while even a brief exposure to asbestos can put one at risk of developing mesothelioma, the use of asbestos in some products has yet to be banned in the United States.

This day of national observance was launched by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation—a nonprofit organization formed to fight and eradicate this aggressive, asbestos-related cancer—and was first officially recognized by the U.S. government in 2010. In observing this day throughout the country, the hope is that more people will learn about and help support an end to mesothelioma. 

“Our thanks go to the City of Charleston for joining us in officially recognizing Mesothelioma Awareness Day this coming Friday. Events such as these are among the best ways to help educate the public about the deadly impact that asbestos exposure can have even decades down the road. We should also take this opportunity to recognize everyone who has been affected by this terrible disease,” said Kearse.

Along with all those exposed to asbestos through manufacturing, industrial and construction jobs, many mesothelioma victims also worked on naval ships and in shipyards. The lives of workers’ families were also put at risk as secondhand exposure can occur when asbestos fibers are carried home on clothing, skin and hair. Unfortunately, it can take up to 50 years for the symptoms of mesothelioma to manifest.

Read asbestos attorney John Herrick’s blog calling for a ban on asbestos. Learn more about asbestos exposure and how Motley Rice asbestos attorneys are fighting for the rights of victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.