
The Pacific Mesothelioma Center (PMC), a division of the Pacific Heart,
Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI), is pleased to announce a matching
pledge from an anonymous donor who owes his life to and is grateful and
thankful to Dr. Robert Cameron. The gift will match dollar for dollar,
any donations received for
PMC’s 9th annual Walk/Hike for Mesothelioma, scheduled for Sunday, October 25th.
Due to COVID-19, this year’s walk will be virtual. That means that
walkers get to choose their own location, route, and time on Sunday, October
25th. Currently PMC has walkers from across the US and Europe who are
participating. For a registration fee of $45, one can create their own
team, or walk as an individual and get a T-shirt,
“We are so grateful for the generosity of this amazing donor. Matching
dollar for dollar all donations received for our walk/hike for mesothelioma
will help us survive this pandemic with our research program intact”,
said Clare Cameron, executive director of the PHLBI. “Due to the
pandemic, most of our events for this year have been canceled, which could
devastate our stem cell and immunotherapy research. The virtual walk,
however, actually provides an opportunity to extend our mission across
borders to literally every country. With this virtual approach and the
generous matching funds, I am hopeful that, in spite of everything, this
will be our best walk event ever.”
PMC’s mission is to find better treatment options for malignant pleural
mesothelioma (MPM), a devastating cancer caused by exposure to asbestos
with sadly few treatment options. Mesothelioma affects thousands of people
each year, one-third of whom are veterans who were exposed to asbestos
while serving and protecting their country. Mesothelioma research is underfunded
and our annual walk raises awareness and provides critical funding for
mesothelioma research at PHLBI’s in-house research laboratory in
Los Angeles
The PMC’s research program specifically targets mesothelioma as well
as lung and other chest cancers, using tissue samples from The PMC International
Tissue Bank. The organization's work using mesenchymal stem for cancer
therapy was recently awarded a patent. Mesenchymal stem cells are potent
cells found in a variety of tissues, including bone marrow, fat, placentas,
etc., and other tissues, which can grow and mature into a variety of different
cell types.
One of PHLBI’s lung scientific advisors, is Robert B. Cameron, who
is a pioneer in the field of mesothelioma research and treatment and currently
serves as Director of the Comprehensive Mesothelioma Program at UCLA,
Professor of Surgery at UCLA and Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the West
LA Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Dr. Robert Cameron commented, “There are literally thousands of wonderfully
generous people who keep our research going, but sometimes a single person
stands out with exceptional leadership and generosity. We are incredibly
thankful to our matching donor. Such generosity multiplies everyone’s
support and helps bring us closer to our goal of raising an endowment
to treat and cure these specialized cancers.”
About the Pacific Mesothelioma Center: Established in 2002, PHLBI is a
501(c) (3) non-profit institution. The PMC, a division of the PHLBI, is
focused on the treatment and prevention of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The PMC serves a growing number of mesothelioma victims by supporting
the nation’s first-of-its-kind research lab which provides laboratory-to-the
bedside research that improves mesothelioma victims’ lives and longevity.
www.pacificmesocenter.org