Honoring the Asbestos Victims on International Workers Memorial Day

On April 28, 2007, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) remembered and paid tribute to all the victims of asbestos related diseases on International Workers Memorial Day. Being the number one fatal work place carcinogen, asbestos causes 54% of all the annual deaths which occur in the professional world.

While presiding over the meeting, Arthur L. Frank MD, PhD and Co-Scientific Director of the ADAO said:

Given that we are in the 21st century and the hazards of asbestos have been known since the 19th Century, and further revealed in the 20th, it is outrageous that the Congressional tunnel workers were subjected to asbestos exposures over a protracted period of time.
As we pay tribute to former workers on this day of remembrance, we need to take action to protect current workers who are still being abused.

The Executive Director of ADAO, Linda Reinstein also paid tribute to asbestos victims by saying that it is a big tragedy that years pass before any symptoms of these deadly respiratory diseases and cancer are recognized. She further emphasized that prevention is the only cure for asbestos diseases and every American is anxiously waiting for a legislation which will enforce a ban on asbestos that has already taken millions of lives.

The Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (ret.) and Co-Scientific Director of the ADAO, Dr. Richard A. Lemen said:

Asbestos has touched the lives of millions of people, each with names and families, like Nellie Kershaw, the 33 year old factory worker, who was the first case of asbestosis published in medical literature in 1927. Today we think of the thousands of people, like Nellie Kershaw, who have lost their lives to the highly preventable diseases caused by asbestos.

Workers’ Memorial Day or International Workers’ Memorial Day is held on 28th April each year to honor people who have been injured, disabled or otherwise harmed by their respective professions. With its objective to remember those who lost their lives to work and emphasis on workplace security, the ADAO slogan is Remember the dead - Fight for the living.

Something about Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

Established in 2004, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by the asbestos victims and their families. The organization ensures all asbestos victims are fairly treated, represented and given justice. The main focus of ADAO is to make more and more people aware of this deadly carcinogen, asbestos. Funded and staffed by voluntary contributions, the ADAO is also working for asbestos awareness.

For further information visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org