Since I have my computer set to the Forums I tend to forget the Meso Foundation's main page. Tonight I saw the news article on Manville, NJ. The home of the former John's Manville company is a blue collar town. The original site is loaded with asbestos. Last year (2010) I called and almost got hung up on by a woman in city hall who told me she knew about meso, and her brother and uncle had died of it, then said they weren't interested in MAD. Stubborn and not taking no I called the mayor's office and spoke to the town borough admin who promptly told me "yes they would put up a poster and proclaim MAD". We immediately right then, drove to Manville, met with the borough admin (mayor is part time). He was so nice, he put our poster up in the glass case outside of city hall, and had the town council declare MAD. He admitted most people in the town won't talk about meso or say bad things about John's Manille Asbestos. They feel the company was the best thing and paid for their houses. His words not mine. Unfortunately this year we had medical and time constraints and couldn't get to Manville to drop off a poster and continue our fight there. I hope the authors of the Manville letter, try again next year. You can bet we will be there with them if they let us know they are going. Sorry for the length, I wanted to state not everyone in that town is ignorant of the effects of meso.

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HUGS
bonnie
Peritoneal survivor 10 YEARS

I applaud your efforts Bonnie. Coal mining towns have had similar issues, especially right after miners were allowed to seek compensation for black lung. Many felt going after that money, publicizing the dangers of mining etc., was disloyal to the companies who'd paid then a good wage & even built their town. That changed with time & locally a couple of mining towns now celebrate coal with a festival while supporting everything that makes mining safer & compensates miners for the health & safety issues they did & still encounter. Towns like this will come around too with efforts like that letter & determined folks like you.

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Janet, Mom/caregiver of peritoneal survivor dx 12/05