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