Mesothelioma caregivers provide an average of 4+ years of full-time support — and 70% report that the emotional toll remains raw decades later.

In this episode of MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast, host Dave Foster — Executive Director of Patient Advocacy at Danziger & De Llano with 18 years of experience — and Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, talk with Marilyn Fake, a mesothelioma victim advocate whose husband Billy — a boilermaker/welder with 36 years of power plant and nuclear plant exposure — survived 4.5 years after his pleural mesothelioma diagnosis.

Together, they cover:

• Billy's diagnosis in Billings, Montana — how an ER doctor identified mesothelioma on first examination and connected the family to MD Anderson in Houston
• A 9-hour extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) at MD Anderson under Dr. Rice — including Gore-Tex diaphragm replacement and Kevlar heart covering
• The devastating toll of radiation, chemotherapy with Avastin (bevacizumab), and the kidney failure that ultimately ended treatment options
• A hospital bedside wedding for two children on February 26, 2009 — and a son-in-law airlifted from Iraq by the Red Cross to say goodbye before Billy passed
• Marilyn's post-loss advocacy — traveling to Washington, D.C. with MARF, becoming a CNA, and creating a nutritional guide for mesothelioma patients

Whether you're a mesothelioma caregiver seeking support, navigating treatment decisions, or looking for practical guidance on patient nutrition and daily care — this episode shares one family's complete journey.

FAQ

What does mesothelioma caregiving involve day-to-day?

Marilyn quit her job as a loan closer to provide 24/7 care for 4.5 years. Daily tasks included managing medications, nutritional supplements, travel logistics for MD Anderson visits, and emotional support through radiation side effects that prevented Billy from eating normal food.

What is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP)?

An EPP removes the affected lung, diaphragm, and surrounding tissue. Billy's 9-hour surgery at MD Anderson included a Gore-Tex diaphragm replacement and Kevlar heart covering. His surgeon, Dr. Rice, credited Marilyn's caregiving for Billy's 4.5-year survival.

How can families cope after a mesothelioma loss?

Marilyn channeled her grief into advocacy — lobbying Congress with MARF to ban asbestos, becoming a CNA to work with dying patients, and spreading Billy's ashes at his favorite Montana mountain spot 16 years later with family and their four-wheel-drive club.

Expert Source

Dave Foster — Executive Director of Patient Advocacy, Danziger & De Llano. 18-year veteran helping mesothelioma families.
dandell.com/david-foster/

Resources

• Mesothelioma Overview: dandell.com/mesothelioma/
• Compensation Options: dandell.com/mesothelioma-compensation/
• Free Consultation: dandell.com/contact-us/

MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.