Steve Lee he has been living with mesothelioma for over 5 years, he is turning his running efforts into fundraising for mesothelioma. Lee, 65-years-old, was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2007 when his doctors told him he had just 6 months to live. Lee and his running buddies of the Reading Roadrunners of England have raised more than $62,000 to fund research at Queen Mary, University of London.
Pleural mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused byasbestos exposure and is most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. Lee, whose father died of mesothelioma in 2002, is not certain but believes he contracted mesothelioma when working with his father on building sites. He also said that his family lived in an asbestos-built house in Canvey Island, Essex.
According to Professor Julian Peto, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research, the UK now has the highest death rate in the world from mesothelioma, with over 2,000 deaths a year. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Currently there is no known cure for mesothelioma.
The university has matched the sum raised by Lee and the club and have made use of the funds towards research to synthesize a naturally-occurring compound, which is believed to kill mesothelioma cells. Their goal is to produce the compound in sufficient quantities to determine whether it can be used to treat sufferers.
Dr Adrian Dobbs, the organic chemist who is supervising the mesothelioma research project, said “…if their data are correct then [the research] could certainly have a very powerful effect on giving longevity and a massively improved quality of life” to victims of mesothelioma.
Lee says he will keep running for as long as he can, and now raising money for others has become his therapy. He added after a recent trip to the Queen Mary laboratory, “It’s great to be able to meet those involved and ask them things about the research.”
Pleural mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused byasbestos exposure and is most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. Lee, whose father died of mesothelioma in 2002, is not certain but believes he contracted mesothelioma when working with his father on building sites. He also said that his family lived in an asbestos-built house in Canvey Island, Essex.
According to Professor Julian Peto, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research, the UK now has the highest death rate in the world from mesothelioma, with over 2,000 deaths a year. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Currently there is no known cure for mesothelioma.
The university has matched the sum raised by Lee and the club and have made use of the funds towards research to synthesize a naturally-occurring compound, which is believed to kill mesothelioma cells. Their goal is to produce the compound in sufficient quantities to determine whether it can be used to treat sufferers.
Dr Adrian Dobbs, the organic chemist who is supervising the mesothelioma research project, said “…if their data are correct then [the research] could certainly have a very powerful effect on giving longevity and a massively improved quality of life” to victims of mesothelioma.
Lee says he will keep running for as long as he can, and now raising money for others has become his therapy. He added after a recent trip to the Queen Mary laboratory, “It’s great to be able to meet those involved and ask them things about the research.”
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