The Alton Miles for Meso 5K course has gained a reputation among the St. Louis community unfold as among the most difficult route in the region because of its streets and brick steep hills. All the hills on the course, the final climb slope to the finish line is the most exhausting.
For years, mesothelioma patients Forrest Wulfstood down this hill with his lawyer Brent Copple, the jubilant runners as they rounded the corner of 4 e and Henry streets began dash up to the finish line.
"It was important to Forrest to volunteer as a course marshal and encourage everyone," said Brent. "he wanted them to know he liked them aware of the dangers of asbestos by running in the race, when he could not."
Forrest, a resident of Alton, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 08. He developed chest pain and shortness of breath and went to the doctor. They found he had two inches of liquid in his lungs. a needle biopsy revealed that he had cancer
for the next seven years, Forrest fought not only in the doctor's office -. going through more than 70 cycles of chemotherapy - but he also spoke on behalf of asbestos victims. He proposed several Alton Miles for Meso races and advocated against the FACT Act by sharing his story and writing letters to Congress.
In 2012, he boldly shared her fear of mesothelioma to the camera.
"I fear the cancer," he said at the beginning of 2012 Miles Meso video. "Because I know that one day he will take my life."
The only known mesothelioma cause is associated with exposure to asbestos. Forrest, who grew up in Wood River, spent 30 years building in the Riverbend area. While on the job, he was exposed to products containing asbestos, such as the compounds of cement and dry wall.
The average prognosis for mesothelioma person is 6 to 18 months. Early in Forrest felt like giving up. Rebecca his wife set him straight, he remembered.
"I'll say it again," she said. "You have me, have your daughter, your son and your grandchildren. Do not abandon. "
Forrest stood up and continued to fight for seven years. He died on June 23, 2015, but not before inspiring many others.
This year, as the runners and walkers approach the last hill on the course Alton, we hope they will remember the story of Forrest miles and keep running for mesothelioma.
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