Press Advisory
 

Inaugural Asbestos Awareness Day
Press Conference on April 1st

Victims and Advocates Call on Policymakers
To Stop the Asbestos Epidemic

WHAT: On April 1, Asbestos Awareness Day as designated by the U.S. Senate, victims of asbestos- related diseases and their advocates will join together at press conference to describe problems with the asbestos trust fund legislation currently being considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

WHO: Ms. Linda Reinstein, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization; Dr. Richard Lemen, Assistant Surgeon General (Ret.); Mr. Pat Morrison, Health and Safety Director, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF); Mr. Jim Fite, National Secretary, White Lung Association.

WHEN: Friday, April 1, 2005 at 1:00 PM (EST)

WHERE: National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor (Zenger Room), Washington, DC

ABOUT: Most people are unaware that asbestos is still used in more than 3000 products in the U.S. while it has been banned in almost every other industrialized nation in the world. Asbestos Awareness Day was created to educate the American public on the extreme hazards of the chemical — victims develop cancer and other fatal illnesses anywhere from 10 to 50 years after asbestos exposure.

Others available for interviews:

• Michael Bowker, author of Fatal Deception a book about the struggle for justice in Libby, MT
• Susan Vento, wife of late Congressman Bruce Vento and Chairperson of the CPMV
• Ellen Patton, local mesothelioma/asbestos-related cancer victim from Maryland

*****************************

The Committee to Protect Mesothelioma Victims (CPMV) is an organization founded by asbestos victims and their families and friends. CPMV works to raise awareness on national asbestos issues and ensure that victims' rights are properly represented and protected on both a local and national level. For more information, www.asbestostruth.org.

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to help ensure that their rights are fairly represented and protected, while raising public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and often deadly asbestos related diseases. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.