Each year on November 11, Veterans Day allows us to celebrate and honor U.S. veterans. Whether they were involved in combat or helped protect America from behind the scenes, all veterans deserve our gratitude.
Even after their service comes to an end, some veterans continue fighting battles at home, including mental health conditions, physical disabilities, and severe illnesses such as mesothelioma.
Explore ways to celebrate Veterans Day 2024 and help veterans with mesothelioma below.
U.S. Veterans and Mesothelioma
U.S. veterans are at a high risk of mesothelioma since the military used asbestos, the only known cause of this cancer, for decades. Veterans with mesothelioma make up approximately 33% of all patients with this cancer today.
Asbestos-containing products were highly durable, so the military used them in ships, bases, buildings, and vehicles from the 1930s to the early 1980s. During this time, manufacturers of asbestos materials hid the dangers from the military and public.
"I was a boiler tender when I went aboard my first ship and started doing my first job. I asked them what the material was made out of, and they told me it was asbestos. It didn’t kill anybody on the spot. It took years later. That's when it started catching up with us."
— Walt Twidwell, U.S. Navy veteran with mesothelioma
The military largely stopped using asbestos in the early 1980s, but for the service members already exposed, it was too late. Mesothelioma can form 10-50 years after asbestos exposure, so U.S. veterans who served decades ago are still in danger today.
Get a Free Veterans Packet to explore military, medical, and financial benefits if you or a loved one is a veteran with mesothelioma.
4 Ways You Can Celebrate Veterans Day 2024
This Veterans Day, it's important to remember and honor everyone who served — especially veterans fighting service-related cancers like mesothelioma. Here are four ways you can celebrate this year.
1. Connect With Veterans
Whether by giving them a call or visiting them in person, reaching out to a veteran with mesothelioma on Veterans Day can lift their spirits.
This can help them feel less lonely as they manage mesothelioma treatment and give them comfort knowing that their service and sacrifice haven't been forgotten.
2. Donate
Making a Veterans Day donation is another great way to show your support.
For Veterans Day this year, consider donating to:
- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation: The Meso Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for mesothelioma. You can make a general donation or one in honor of a veteran you love.
- VA hospitals: Several U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals specifically treat veterans with mesothelioma. The VA will allow you to choose which hospital or health care clinic receives your donation.
Your family can help you decide which organizations to donate to this year.
3. Create Care Packages
You can order care packages for veterans or military personnel currently serving. Organizations like Operation Gratitude deliver care packages to veterans and active-duty personnel worldwide.
Through Operation Gratitude, you can:
- Mail a package to a service member currently deployed
- Ship a premade care package to an anonymous veteran or service member
- Volunteer to make gifts like letters and bracelets for care packages
If a veteran with mesothelioma in your life is currently receiving treatment, you can also put together a care package of their favorite things to help them recover and lift their spirits.
4. Raise Awareness About Mesothelioma and Asbestos Risks
Raising awareness about mesothelioma is a great way to help veterans and civilians know their risks, get diagnosed earlier, and improve their health outcomes.
Here are some ways to raise awareness about mesothelioma:
- Host a fundraiser for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization or the Meso Foundation
- Schedule a phone call or meeting with your local representative to discuss the issues of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma
- Ask local news stations to run stories about veterans and mesothelioma
Spreading the word can alert more people about the dangers of asbestos and mesothelioma — including veterans who have not yet been diagnosed.
We Help Veterans With Mesothelioma Every Day
Getting involved on Veterans Day 2024 allows us to unite and honor the sacrifices that veterans made.
On Veterans Day and every other day of the year, Mesothelioma Veterans Center is dedicated to helping veterans with mesothelioma navigate a diagnosis and receive the benefits they deserve.
With our help, you may qualify for:
- VA benefits
- Financial compensation to cover expenses
- Treatments from top doctors
"They will be there by your side the whole way through.”
— Linda, daughter of a U.S. Navy veteran with mesothelioma
Explore all the ways we can assist you with our Free Veterans Packet now.
