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Jonathan Sharp: A National Mesothelioma Registry Would Speed Diagnosis And Care For Virginia Vets

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Many Veterans Suffer From Mesothelioma. A Centralized Database Could Help.Opinion

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Guest Column: Reminder To Pennsylvania Navy Veterans To Access PACT Act Benefits Regarding Asbestos Illnesses

By Cristina Johnson, Navy veteran advocate

Many of our veterans who served during World War II were exposed to toxic asbestos mineral fibers and suffered its serious health consequences.

At the highest risk of developing asbestos-related malignant conditions, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, are Navy personnel on ships built before the 1980s and those working in the Navy's shipyards, as many vessels were insulated with asbestos from bow to stern.

However, all military branches have extensively applied asbestos-containing materials because of their heat resistance and durability.

Among those whose health has potentially been affected by asbestos, many are Pennsylvania veterans, including Delaware County's veteran community.

Pennsylvania is home to 12 active military installations, including NSA Philadelphia, an important part of the state's World War II history, once known as the Navy Aviation Supply Depot at the beginning of World War II.

Many Pennsylvania bases have been closed during the years, some because of toxic contamination. One is former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, which supported the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve and Pennsylvania Air National Guard and Army Guard units from 1942 to 2011.

When it comes to fighting diseases directly linked to asbestos exposure, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer, veterans must attend regular health check-ups and specialized screenings, such as chest X-rays or CT scans, even if they do not experience symptoms.

Periodic visits to the doctor are especially recommended to veterans with known asbestos exposure history, but scheduling regular check-ups is mandatory even for those who suspect they've been exposed.

Timely discovery is the only option in asbestos diseases. It's difficult because it takes 20 to 50 years after exposure for the first symptoms to appear.

Of all asbestos illnesses, mesothelioma is exclusively caused by inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers.

This deadly cancer is hard to diagnose because its initial symptoms resemble more common lung diseases.

It only aggravates things that, according to medical studies, about 14% to 50% of mesothelioma diagnoses are incorrect.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the U.S., and similar to mesothelioma, its symptoms first show when the cancer is at an advanced stage, making treatment difficult and considerably reducing survival rates.

Veterans came into contact with airborne asbestos when products containing this toxic material were disturbed. While everyone exposed to asbestos dust is in immediate danger of developing severe diseases due to asbestos fibers, veterans are affected at a disproportionate level.

Medical reports show that about one-third of mesothelioma patients are veterans.

Former service members diagnosed with a malignant condition linked to asbestos are eligible to file claims with asbestos trust funds set up by bankrupt manufacturers or apply for disability compensation and possibly free health care from the VA.

Until 2022, asbestos-related diseases were not considered presumptive conditions by the VA.

In 2022, the Senate passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, PACT Act.

The new law expanded VA health care and benefits based on presumption, adding asbestos and asbestos illnesses to the list of presumptive conditions.

Since the passage of the PACT Act, over 6 million veterans have been screened for toxic exposure, and more than 1.4 million veterans have been approved for benefits.

In Pennsylvania, approximately 46,000 veterans have filed PACT Act claims, and over 27,000 veterans received expanded benefits. More information is available at www.Va.Gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits.

About the author: Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness and educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist them in navigating the VA claims process. For more information, visit www.Asbestos-ships.Com.

Originally Published: February 16, 2025 at 3:01 PM EST






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