[February 24, 2014]

ADAO President Linda Reinstein Keynotes for Occupational Cancer Research Centre

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which combines education, advocacy, and community to help ensure justice for asbestos victims, announced that ADAO Co-Founder and President Linda Reinstein served as the keynote speaker at the Occupational Lung Cancer Symposium today in Toronto. The symposium, hosted by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), focused on recent research on the burden and prevalence of major exposures linked to occupational lung cancer, such as asbestos and diesel engine exhaust.

"ADAO was thrilled to deliver the keynote address at this important OCRC symposium," stated Reinstein. "The World Health Organization reports, 'Lung cancer, mesothelioma, and bladder cancer are among the most common types of occupational cancers.' Raising further awareness about this critical issue is top of mind for us in our educational efforts."

Reinstein's presentation, "Lung Cancer Research: Beyond the Bench in the 21st Century," explored how to turn research into action, and reaffirmed that prevention remains the only cure. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, "Globally, 19% of all cancers are attributable to the environment, including work setting resulting in 1.3 million deaths each year."

"The OCRC brought together provincia, national and international researchers and public health advocates to focus on occupational lung cancer because recent studies have highlighted that a significant percentage of lung cancers can be attributed to occupational exposures including asbestos, diesel, silica and radon," stated Paul Demers, Ph.D., M.Sc., Director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre. "Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, yet receives less than 10% of cancer research funding. The urgent need to identify lung cancer due to occupational exposures is why today's symposium has focused on the logistical, ethical and financial issues related to screening for occupational lung cancer."

The entire presentation is available online via SlideShare after February 24^th. The esteemed speakers included 2013 ADAO Asbestos Awareness Conference speaker Paul Demers of the Occupational Cancer Centre, Kurt Straif of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and Anthony Miller of the University of Toronto. ADAO recently had the privilege of hearing Straif and Miller speak at the International Helsinki Conference on Monitoring and Surveillance of Asbestos-Related Diseases.

OCRC, established in 2009, is the first of its kind in Canada. The Centre was established to fill the gaps in our knowledge of occupation-related cancers and to translate these findings into preventive programs to control workplace carcinogenic exposures and improve the health of workers. For more information about the symposium and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre, please visit OccupationalCancer.ca.

ADAO will hold its Tenth Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference on April 4 - 6, 2014, at the Crystal Gateway (News - Alert) Marriott in Arlington, VA.

About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO is the largest non-profit in the U.S. dedicated to providing asbestos victims and concerned citizens with a united voice through our education, advocacy, and community initiatives. ADAO seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, advocate for an asbestos ban, and protect asbestos victims' civil rights. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.

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