Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer diagnosed in close to 3,000 Americans each year. The only established cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Most victims were unwittingly exposed to asbestos at work or while serving in the military. Still others developed mesothelioma through exposure from family members coming home from work with their clothes covered in asbestos fibers. Unfortunately, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the annual number of mesothelioma deaths is increasing. According to experts, over 20 million people in the United States are at risk of developing malignant mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. We believe it is important to get the facts out about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, and especially, to help educate young Americans.
Please address some or all of the following questions in your essay:
- Share your personal story dealing with asbestos disease or cancer. Talk about how it affected your life and how/whether it impacted your education/career choice.
- What do you hope to do with the education you are receiving to help cancer patients?
- Why is raising awareness and educating the public about the dangers of asbestos and the impact of mesothelioma on a family important?
- What would you say to someone who is fighting mesothelioma or to a family member who recently lost a loved one to the disease?
The essay must be no fewer than 750 and no more than 1,500 words long.