ERIN BROCKOVICH AND WEITZ & LUXENBERG ANNOUNCE iWALK4MESO EVENT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR ASBESTOS-RELATED CANCER
Nationwide Event Will Occur On Mesothelioma Awareness Day And Is Part Of Larger Push To Raise Money For Mesothelioma Research
New York, NY (September 14, 2016) –Erin Brockovich and Weitz & Luxenberg announced today that they will lead a nationwide virtual walk on September 26 to raise awareness for mesothelioma – an aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos – and are encouraging anyone who wants to help battle this insidious disease to participate.
“Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year, but many people are unaware of the pain and suffering these victims experience,” said consumer advocate Erin Brockovich. “These veterans, construction workers, mechanics, and others whose jobs put them in contact with asbestos deserve our utmost support. With iWalk4MESO, we want to get the word out about this horrible disease so we can raise money for research and give mesothelioma the attention it deserves.”
Anybody can participate in the event by walking or running for any distance and posting a photo or video of themselves holding the iWalk4MESO graphic, as well as a dedication to a particular victim of mesothelioma or a general statement of support, to the iWalk4MESO Facebook group (a link to a printable version of the graphic is below). Participants are also encouraged to post messages on their own social media pages with the hashtags #iWalk4MESO, #MesotheliomaAwarenessDay and #EndMeso.
“Every day we see so many hard working Americans fall ill because of asbestos exposure and have witnessed how mesothelioma can have a drastic impact on their families,” said Jerry Kristal, Managing Attorney for Mesothelioma and Asbestos at Weitz & Luxenberg. “iWalk4MESO is the first part of a broader push to raise money for research into how we can better treat – and eventually cure – this terrible disease.”
While asbestos use has declined in America in recent years, mesothelioma takes anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop in one’s body after their first exposure to asbestos, and there are still approximately 3,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed every year.