State of Virginia Passes and Signs Permanent Proclamation of Mesothelioma Awareness Day - KOTA Territory News

State of Virginia Passes and Signs Permanent Proclamation of Mesothelioma Awareness Day

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SOURCE: Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

On Monday, April 30, 2012, the Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, signed the permanent proclamation declaring every September 26 as ‘mesothelioma awareness day’.

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) May 01, 2012

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) announced Monday that the State of Virginia is the eleventh state to pass a permanent proclamation marking every September 26 ‘mesothelioma awareness day’.

Robena Reid, a tireless mesothelioma advocate and ambassador who lost her mother to mesothelioma, worked closely with her state delegate, Mark Sickles (D-Franconia), to introduce the proclamation (HJ120) into the Virginia legislature. The proclamation passed the Virginia House and Senate on February 29, 2012.

This morning, Robena Reid along with Meso Foundation’s Executive Director, Kathy Wiedemer, and Meso Foundation’s Government Affairs Director, Jessica Barker, attended the signing of the proclamation by Governor Bob McDonnell in Richmond, Virginia.

“We are grateful to the Virginia Legislature for bringing much-needed attention to this often neglected cancer, and we hope this will prompt Virginians, as well as others, to learn more about this dangerous disease,” said the executive director of the Meso Foundation, Kathy Wiedemer.

The text of the proclamation can be found on the Virginia’s Legislative website at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+cab+HC10119HJ0120+UCRR

The Meso Foundation is the leading organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma and easing the suffering caused by it. The Meso Foundation actively seeks philanthropic support to fund peer-reviewed mesothelioma research; provide patient support services and education; and advocate Congress for increased federal funding for mesothelioma research and increased awareness. The Foundation is the only organization that funds peer-reviewed research solely for mesothelioma to help find effective treatment options and a cure for the 3,000 Americans diagnosed each year.

The Meso Foundation is also the host and organizer of the annual Symposium, a two day conference for the entire mesothelioma community, including patients, medical experts, researchers and advocates. This year the conference takes place on July 12-13 in Washington, DC.

More information is available at http://www.curemeso.org.

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