Nothing can prepare you for the shock of receiving a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis. On top of the pain and discomfort you may be feeling, there’s so much to consider afterward: wondering how this could have happened, what medical treatments you’ll be receiving, the financial responsibilities ahead, and more. Not only are you in a tailspin of emotions — there’s often no one you can turn to who understands what you’re going through.
Over five decades of helping thousands of mesothelioma cancer and lung cancer patients, the attorneys at Serling & Abramson, P.C. have encountered many places and organizations that offer support during this emotional time. Use this helpful list of resources to get the encouragement and human interaction you need. You can also learn about what advances in treating mesothelioma cancer are being made.
If your mesothelioma cancer developed from exposure to asbestos, reach out to Serling & Abramson, P.C. for a free review of your case.
Join A Mesothelioma Cancer Support Group
The isolation you may feel after a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis can be almost as overwhelming as the effects of the illness itself. Fortunately, there are many groups of mesothelioma patients (and their families) who are willing to open up, offer support, and make you feel like part of a larger community.
- Connect remotely or in-person. Meet and talk with other people with mesothelioma cancer (or their caregivers) via Facebook, Zoom, over the phone, or even in person at a conference. Your contact information will be protected, and invitations sent only after you register.
“Mesothelioma Straight Talk” groups include:
- General Discussion
- Patient Support
- Caregivers — Advanced Disease
- Caregivers — Early Disease
- Mesothelioma Loss Support Group
- Meet others who have lost a loved one to mesothelioma cancer. There are also Facebook and Zoom support groups for people who have lost family members and friends.
Learn Via Video
- Watch informative videos on MesoTV. This online channel features interviews with mesothelioma cancer experts discussing topics related to living with mesothelioma, including news on treatments, clinical trials, side effects and more. See list of episodes.
- Hear directly from the experts. The Meet the Mesothelioma Experts (MTME) online series has interviews with mesothelioma cancer experts discussing their current research, plus new developments in treating the illness. Watch live and on-demand.
Get Financial Assistance
Travel Grant program. If you need to travel far from home to consult a specialist or participate in a clinical trial, you may be eligible for a grant to help cover your lodging, transportation, shuttle service, and gas.
Eligible travel includes:
- One trip for an initial consultation with a mesothelioma expert
- Multiple trips to be part of an interventional clinical trial (list found on clinicaltrials.gov)
If eligible, you’ll be reimbursed up to a maximum of $6,000 per patient/caregiver annually for no more than two clinical trials overall.
Connect With A Peer-To-Peer Partner
Feeling lost after your diagnosis? Get one-on-one support from someone who’s gone through a mesothelioma cancer experience just like you. The Meso Foundation offers a Peer-to-Peer Support Program for patients and their families and can connect you with someone in the community who’s faced the same challenges you have.
Maybe you’ve just been diagnosed and could use encouragement from someone who’s successfully gone through a first round of treatment. Or maybe you’ve been through the highs and lows of ongoing treatment and would love to meet a fellow survivor. It’s an invaluable resource for any stage of your mesothelioma cancer journey.
Get Involved With Finding A Cure
Clinical trials are currently underway to find new treatments (and improve existing treatments) for mesothelioma cancer and other illnesses. If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, consult with your doctor and call 1-800-4CANCER for more information, or visit cancer.org.
Inspiration To Keep Moving
No matter what you’re facing in your struggle with mesothelioma cancer, taking advantage of some of the resources in this list can help you regain hope for the journey ahead.
A valuable resource for the legal journey ahead: Serling & Abramson, P.C. offers Michigan-based attorneys with decades of experience litigating cases involving mesothelioma cancer and other diseases caused by exposure to asbestos on the job or elsewhere. We have strong relationships with many local labor unions whose workers, plumbers, pipefitters, millwrights, and more have relied on us to help them in successful lawsuits against negligent employers.
If you or a loved one could use our help in your mesothelioma cancer case, contact us for a free review of your case today.
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