Working as I do with mesothelioma patients and their families and see the cause of suffering with the deadly preventable disease, it is easy to be frustrated by the lack of knowledge about asbestos exposure. Fortunately, we saw more and more coverage on this important issue in traditional media as news spreads about the dangers of exposure to asbestos.
Recently, I came across a story that appeared on the news program Milwaukee, TMJ4 News today. In it, investigative reporter Aaron Diamant tells the story of Richard Herr, sculptor and Sheboygan, Wisconsin, native.
Richard's story is a tragic one for a painfully short life cut off by mesothelioma. It is not a typical story, Richard did not work in construction or industry. He was a gifted sculptor and teacher who used asbestos in his studio to make molds for its works of art. After decades of this exposure, he developed this deadly cancer caused by asbestos and died in 09.
As the illness and death of Richard shows, mesothelioma is not going away. In fact, in Wisconsin, some reports indicate that the deadly disease is on the rise. Although asbestos was officially banned in the 70s, people are still exposed every day. And since asbestos still persists in our environment, everyone can be exposed, whether or not they work in industries which in the past have been associated with this painful form of cancer.
Due to the lack of education on asbestos, the legacy of Richard as an artist was cut short. Richard's death was a terrible loss, and one of the most tragic things about it is that it could have been avoided. As he says about the asbestos used in his studio, "If I knew of any danger, I have used." Hopefully the word spreads about Richard and victims like him this kind of fatal exposure can be avoided. this would be the greatest legacy of Richard.
