Johnson Family Pledges $500,000 to Help Early Detection and Treatment of Veterans

LOS ANGELES, CA. On the same day that a new California law takes effect which humanely limits the time defense lawyers can depose mesothelioma plaintiffs to 7 hours, the John Johnson family, whose personal tragedy helped galvanize the new law, announced their pledge of $500,000 for mesothelioma medical research.

Johnson Family.

"We want to help other families avoid what happened to ours," said Sue Johnson, whose husband John Johnson, a military veteran stricken with the asbestos-caused cancer, collapsed after a grueling deposition and died within 24 hours.

The Johnson family has pledged the donation to the Pacific Mesothelioma Center ("PMC"). They have asked that the donation be used to help initiate a collaborative research and clinical care program between the PMC and the Department of Veterans affairs.

"Dr. [Robert] Cameron did everything he could surgically to save John," said Mrs. Johnson, "but by the time he was diagnosed, he was already stage III. We'd like to help the VA find and use new ways to diagnose mesothelioma as early as possible, so that patients have a fighting chance to survive."

The money will be used to help launch of the Admiral Zumwalt Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Program within the Department of Veterans Affairs.  A key component of the proposed program is early detection.

"The Johnson family's generosity is truly amazing," said attorney Roger Worthington, of the Worthington & Caron law firm, who represents the Johnson family. "When the legal system failed the Johnson family, they stepped up and helped change the law. When the VA missed an opportunity to diagnose Mr. Johnson much earlier, the Johnson family again stepped up to improve the way veterans are diagnosed and treated at the VA."

John Johnson, USMC

The Admiral Zumwalt Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Program is an initiative proposed jointly by Mr. Worthington and PMC. "The family of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, who died from mesothelioma nearly twelve years ago to the day, has expressed a desire to lend their father's name for a comprehensive program to help veterans," said Mr. Worthington, noting that nearly a third of Americans diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos while serving in the military.

John Johnson proudly served his Country as a member of the United States Marine Corps where, in the spirit of "Semper Fi,"  it is said: "Once a Marine, always a Marine. Commitment never dies." Through their efforts to improve the medical and legal options available to others diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Johnson family has ensured that John's commitment to Corps and Country will never die.

For more information, contact Worthington & Caron, PC.  Email: john@worthingtoncaron.com; Phone: 1-800-831-9399; Worthington & Caron, PC is  law firm located in San Pedro, California that has dedicated its practice to representing patients diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma since 1990.

Worthington & Caron Proudly Sponsors the 2014 Dana Point Grand Prix

Dana Point, CA. On Sunday, May 4 the city of Dana Point will host the 8th annual Dana Point Grand Prix (DPGP).

Worthington & Caron is proud to sponsor this event, which features the John Johnson Pro Criterium. 

The Grand Prix will feature 10 races from sun up to sun down, music, kids races, a craft beer tent, great food and a special tribute to the Johnson Family and their efforts to help establish the Zumwalt Mesothelioma Treatment Center within the Veteran's Administration. For the past four years, the DPGP has been touted as the biggest single day bike race in the U.S. The racing begins at 7 a.m. sharp.

The Johnson Family at the finish line of the
2013 John Johnson Pro Criterium

The John Johnson Pro Criterium promises to electrify an anticipated crowd of 15,000 fans lining a six turn course on Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point. John Johnson was a veteran and plumber who was poisoned by asbestos, contracted mesothelioma, sought aggressive treatment, fought the legal fight, but ultimately succumbed to the disease. After his death, the Johnson family continued the fight by increasing public awareness of this horrible disease which disproportionately affects military veterans, by providing initial funding for a mesothelioma treatment center at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, and by pushing for changes in the law which impact the rights of all mesothelioma sufferers. 

We are honored to have the privilege of introducing the Johnson Family prior to the Pro race, which is the final event. John was the father of two sons, Michael and Ron Johnson, and the husband of an incredible wife, Sue Johnson.

Michael Johnson is a hard-charging cyclist who will again line up in the Pro Race which his family is sponsoring for the second year in a row. Michael is also a hard-charging advocate and source of information and support for mesothelioma patients and their families.

We also want to thank the City of Dana Point for championing this amazing bike race, festival and fundraiser for the past eight years. Orange and Los Angeles Counties have become notorious for the high incidence of bike fatalities due to driver negligence or manslaughter. We appreciate the City's efforts to make Dana Point bike friendly.

Once again there will be activities and events for all ages, including free youth races from ages four to 12 years old.

We hope to see you at the Party! All net proceeds from the race registration will be donated to charities, including the 5th Marine Regiment Support Group, The Boys and Girls Club, and the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation.

New Depo Limit Law To Become Effective January 1st---What a Difference a Year Makes!

On January 1, 2013, California Code of Civil Procedure Section 2025.290 will become effective limiting plaintiff depositions in most civil cases to no more than seven (7) hours over two days, or 14 hours of total testimony.

Previously there were no state-wide statutory limits on the length of plaintiff depositions. This omission in the law often allowed defense counsel to subject plaintiffs to prolonged and repetitive questioning, causing undue stress and exhaustion.

The new law was motivated by the plight of John Johnson, a 68 year-old veteran of the U.S. Marines and retired plumber who was diagnosed with mesothelioma and filed a lawsuit against the companies responsible for his asbestos exposure in October 2011. In the case, we presented a declaration from Dr. Robert Cameron imploring the court to limit Mr. Johnson’s deposition to 12 hours, as Mr. Johnson was a stage III patient who had just emerged from an 11 hour surgery and was undergoing post-surgery radiation. Dr. Cameron warned the court that interrogation in excess of 12 hours would “hasten his demise.” The court limited the deposition to 20 hours but later granted another 5 hours over our objections and a second declaration from Dr. Cameron.

The deposition began on December 19, 2011 and, after 10 sessions conducted over 35 days, was concluded on January 23, 2012. As predicted by Dr. Cameron, the rigors of the process produced a dramatic decline in Mr. Johnson’s condition. Knowing that unless he completed the mandated 25 hours, none of his testimony could be used in the lawsuit which would be his wife Sue’s only source of financial support, Mr. Johnson could not be deterred from finishing the job. Mr. Johnson passed away less than 24 hours after completing the deposition.

This unfathomable, but not unanticipated, result was a rallying call for Worthington& Caron, P.C. and other plaintiffs’ attorneys who had long sought to impose reasonable limits on defense deposition questioning. Working together with the support of Mr. Johnson’s wife, Sue Johnson, the effort gained media attention and finally the support of key California lawmakers. The measure was passed by the California legislature on August 29, 2012 and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 17, 2012.

As 2012 comes to an end, we reflect back on the tragic events involving John Johnson and extend our warmest and sincerest wishes to his family as they spend their first Holiday season without him. We hope they find some satisfaction in knowing that their government took notice of their nightmare and acted quickly and decisively to keep other Californians from enduring it in the future.

Section 2025.290 is a long-overdue measure which provides a defense to the basic civil liberties of asbestos cancer patients and other seriously injured plaintiffs. These are people for whom time is precious. They want to get well. They can’t work. They have mounting bills. They weren’t looking for a lawsuit but, like John Johnson, have no other potential source of financial resources. We applaud the California legislature and Governor Brown for the protections that injured plaintiffs will get to begin enjoying in the New Year!

John M. Caron

December 20, 2012

A Tribute to a Dedicated Man: John Johnson. 1943-2012

John and Sue Johnson

celebrating John's
69th birthday in their
home in Newport
Beach, CA.

January 21, 2011

What is the measure of a man?

Is it the degree of devotion by his loving wife? Is it the respect and admiration of his grateful children? Is it the way his grandchild giggles when he kisses her plump cheek?

Is it the way he, despite great personal discomfort, soldiers on, driven by an unbreakable commitment to his family? Or is it the way he stands his ground - nay, moves forward -- into the killing zone of the beast, appropriately afraid, but resolved to fight to the last breath for what's right, what's fair, and what's good?

Of course, it's all these things. It's a rare thing when a man measures up on all counts. But, call it luck, call it destiny, call it whatever, I have been honored and blessed to meet such a man, and call him my friend. His name is John Johnson, an ordinary guy who did extraordinary things in his 69 years on this orb.

My friend John died today. And I am sad. I am sad for his family -- Sue, who stood by him, bathed him, fed him, cared for him, made him laugh, held him the way a mother holds a child, and, in the end, against every fiber in her body, had to let him go, had to say goodbye to the only man she's ever loved, the man who had become a part of her like an arm, a leg or a beating heart.

Moments after crashing with

one lap to go at the 2011
Masters National Championships
in Bend, Oregon.

Michael on the right

and his wife Nichole

in the green.  Mike and

I have dedicated

our 2012 racing

season to John Johnson.

I am sad for his sons Mike and Ronald. Mike, like his father, is an embodiment of both tenacity and tenderness. When his Dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma back in the summer of 2011, Mike, a bicycle racer, vowed to win the national championships in his Dad's honor. With a lap to go, bad luck struck. Mike crashed, along with his quest to bestow upon his father the coveted Stars and Bars jersey.

On Sunday, Mike and I went for a ride, a hilly ride in North San Diego County. John, after a massive surgery and 28 rounds of radiation, despite his grit to persevere, was getting weaker as the pain ratcheted upward. Mike is not a dramatic guy. He sort of whispered that this ride was for his Dad, sensing, I think, that the end was near, and he needed to appeal to something bigger than himself, to rise above limits, just like his Dad had done the past six months.

Mike felt the spirit, and had the ride of his life, and it was both wonderful and daunting to keep up with such a motivated man on a spiritual mission.

I am sad, but honored. It's not very often that you come across a man like John Johnson. His obit will say he was a US Marine who loved mountain bikes. It will say he married the love of his life, Sue, 46 years ago, and they fathered two fit and robust boys. It will say he was plumber and an auto mechanic who was exposed to asbestos. It will say he was diagnosed with mesothelioma in August of 2011, had two surgeries, was blasted with radiation, and never gave up hope.

John Johnson mountain
biking in Red Rock

Canyon, NV. 2010

I will remember him for these things, yes, but more than that: his capacity to endure pain for the love of his family. We like to say that the recently departed died with dignity and honor, we say these things because we don't know what else to say and it sounds right and reverential. But I am saying John Johnson died with dignity: I know it. 

On behalf of my partner John Caron, and everyone in my office who were privileged to work with John, we extend our deepest sympathies to Sue, Michael, Nicole, Ronald, Alexa and Noah. We lost a great man, but his legacy of grit with grace will live on, forever.

John Johnson, rest in peace.

Your Friend,

Roger Worthington
January 24, 2012
--------------------------------------------------------------------

On Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 9 a.m. there will be a  Memorial Ride honoring John Johnson held at the Cottonwood Valley / Late Night Trailhead at Blue Diamond Rd/NV160 outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.

The ride is sponsored by the The Las Vegas Mountain Bike Group and is open for all level of riders:  beginner, intermediate and advanced.

Click here for more details.

Click here to view photos from the ride!


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Michael Johnson and Monster Media Bike Team Dedicate Their Win to Mesothelioma Patient Ronald Hill

Michael Johnson is a fierce and passionate competitor. For many years, he has been one of the most successful and respected bike racers in southern California. Mike learned the dedication and competitiveness necessary to excel in his sport from his Dad, John Johnson. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, John Johnson worked hard during the week as a plumber and then, on the weekends, unleashed his competitive fury in the grueling sport of desert motorcycle racing.

In 2011, John Johnson was forced to compete against a much more serious opponent—mesothelioma cancer. Mike took on his Dad’s battle with cancer as if it was his own. He literally fought for his Dad, and was a constant source of strength and motivation for John to keep fighting. Sadly, John lost his fight against mesothelioma in January 2012.

Michael Johnson, however, has not stopped fighting mesothelioma. Mike and his family have been fighting to improve the diagnosis and treatment of veterans suffering from service-related asbestos illness. They have also worked to raise public awareness of mesothelioma and the need for research. Mike has also gone to great lengths to assist families of mesothelioma sufferers, passing along some of the tough lessons he learned from his Dad’s battle that will help them in their fight against the disease.

For 2014, Mike and his bike racing team, Monster Media Racing, have committed to the following mission: “race together as a unified team, race hard, go for the win, have fun, and help raise awareness in the fight against mesothelioma.” Last weekend, Mike and the team made huge progress toward completing this mission when Mike won the three-day Tour De Murrieta bike race in Murrieta, California. 

While claiming this tremendous personal victory, Mike took the occasion to continue his personal fight against mesothelioma, dedicating the win to Ronald Hill, a career pipefitter, who was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma:

Mr. Ron Hill

“I had the pleasure of meeting Ron and his lovely family this past month. I am extremely honored to be in a position, as the son of meso patient myself, to offer my help and support to Ron. He has a long and tough road ahead, but he’s a great man who is blessed with a very supportive and smart family. Monster Media Racing is here for you sir.”

We congratulate Michael Johnson and Monster Media Racing on their victory and wish them continued success in winning races and raising awareness for mesothelioma sufferers throughout the 2014 season.

Click here to see Michael Johnson’s full race report and dedication.

The Spirit of John Johnson Alive and Well at the 2015 Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling

Karl Menzies
Wins the 2015
Dana Point Grand Prix

Dana Point, CA. The Men’s Pro race at the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling this weekend exemplified what the John Johnson Family is all about – celebrating life, rewarding risks, never giving up, and going for the gusto.

John Johnson is well known on these pages. John passed away from mesothelioma in 2012. His family had every reason to be bitter. John was misdiagnosed by the VA. When he was diagnosed, an inexperienced VA surgeon attempted to operate on the tumor but aborted.

John finally found Dr. Robert Cameron, who performed a grueling 11 hour operation. But it would prove to be too late to save John from his unrelenting disease.

Wanting justice, John pursued a lawsuit against the companies who poisoned him with asbestos. His health was declining. But John knew that if he did not complete his testimony, the defendants would win and his family would be stuck with the ever-increasing bill for his illness.

One tough Marine, John hung on and preserved the record for his family so the case would live on. He passed away shortly after completing this final mission.

Michael Johnson Family

The Johnsons prevailed in their lawsuit, thanks to John’s warrior spirit and love of family. Thereafter, the Johnson family embraced John’s warrior spirit and has fought to prevent their tragedy from smacking down other families.

The Johnsons lobbied for a change in California law to make it less burdensome for ill plaintiffs to enforce their legal rights. They prevailed. They then lobbied to create a Mesothelioma Center of Excellence at the VA hospital in West Los Angeles, headed by Dr. Cameron. Again, they prevailed.

The Johnson family stands for hope, for life, and for winning, against impossible odds. For the past three years, they have been the lead sponsor of the Dana Point Grand Prix Pro Men’s race. Son Michael Johnson is a world class athlete, and he’s been using cycling as a vehicle to get the message of hope out for mesothelioma patients.

The racers heard the message. They went from the gun, all out, never looking back, not making excuses, and charged hard like it was their last race ever. A breakaway of four formed early and they held off the charging peloton at the line.

Roger Worthington, Mary and Terry
Latham and John Caron

Karl Menzies of United Health Care, a tough, savvy and muscular veteran pro hailing from Tasmania, took the victory. He was followed by youngsters Tyler Magner (Hincapie Racing), from Georgia, and Canadian Ryan Aitcheson of Team Astellas.

It was especially gratifying to have on hand another mesothelioma warrior, Terry Latham, and his lovely wife Mary. Terry, now 74 years old, was operated on by Dr. Cameron in June of 2010. Having recently celebrated his fifth year as a survivor, Terry continues to love life and go for the gusto!

Well done bike racers! Kudos to the City of Dana Point for hosting a world class event! Thank you John Johnson Family! And may the spirit keep moving you Terry and Mary Latham!

Cheers

Roger Worthington

5/5/15

Future Pro Racer

Another Successful Event Helping Raise Meso Awareness

Michael Johnson (r) and his
family along
with Roger Worthington (l)

Dana Point, CA.  Mercy, mercy, mercy. What a day! The 8th annual Dana Point Grand Prix remained the premier event of the year, attended by thousands of cheering fans. Over 900 racers competed as well as over 425 youngsters in the action packed kids races.

As proud sponsors of the DPGP, which was held on May 4, Worthington & Caron could only take a deep breath and appreciate all the racers, bike fans, fellow sponsors and more importantly the enthusiasm and commitment of the Dana Point Community.

The weather was perfect, the course was perfect and the racing -- spectacular.

Roger with Gary and Suzie Morse

The John Johnson Pro Criterium (JJPC), the last race of the day lived up to it's billing as one of the fastest criteriums in the country.  This race, however, was more than a race -- it was more of a movement. 

Spearheaded by Michael Johnson (who competed in three races that day!) the JJPC was named in honor of Michael’s dad, John Johnson a Marine and plumber who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011. John Johnson fought valiantly through his medical treatments and through the legal system before passing away from mesothelioma in 2012.

The JJPC was formed by the Johnson family to promote public awareness of mesothelioma which affects too many military veterans. The Johnson family has also helped fund a mesothelioma treatment center at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.  Worthington & Caron is proud to represent this honorable, brave and reverent family.

Scott and Lisa Hill with
their children

We were delighted to see several mesothelioma patients and there families at the JJPC, including Gary Morse.   Mr.Morse served in the United States Navy. Although scheduled to undergo surgery the next day with Dr. Robert Cameron at UCLA Medical, Gary and his lovely wife Suzie enjoyed the spills and thrills in the VIP tent.  It was great to see them enjoying their day in the sun. 

We were also pleased to see the family of Ron Hill, who served in the National Guard. Ron was at his home recovering from his recent surgery. His son Scott was having a great time with his family, who came down to support the Johnson family's campaign to draw attention to the need for more medical support of veterans with mesothelioma at the West LA VA.

W&C would like to again thank the City of Dana Point for supporting this bike race, festival and fundraiser for the past eight years.

All net proceeds from the race registration will be donated to charities, including the 5th Marine Regiment Support Group, The Boys and Girls Club, and the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation.

Fight Mesothelioma, Raise Awareness, Have Fun

This Sunday, May 3, sunny Dana Point, California will host the 9^th Annual Dana Point Grand Prix (DPGP). Professional cyclists, amateurs, and kids (yes kids!) will race around downtown Dana Point in the largest single day criterion race in America!

The races will begin at 7:00 a.m. sharp and will include 13 races total, including free Youth Races sponsored by the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation. There will also be a $12,000 Pro Women’s criterium prize, the largest in Southern California history. It’s not all about cycling of course, there will be music, food, and craft beer to be enjoyed by all, cyclist or not.

In remembrance of John Johnson and his courageous fight against Mesothelioma, the Johnson Family is sponsoring the final event of the day, the John Johnson Family Pro NCC Classic for the third year in a row.  John Johnson was a veteran and plumber who was poisoned by asbestos, contracted mesothelioma, underwent aggressive treatment to prolong his life, but ultimately succumbed to the disease. 

John Johnson Family

After his death, the Johnson family set out to increase public awareness of this horrible disease which disproportionately affects military veterans, by providing substantial funding for a mesothelioma treatment center at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, and by pushing for changes in the law which impacts the rights of all mesothelioma sufferers. John’s son, Michael, is a competitive cyclist who will be participating in the day’s events and is also a hard-charging advocate and source of information and support for mesothelioma patients and their families.

We would love to see you there!

All Proceeds from the DPGP Youth Races benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley.

For registration information, details, and directions, click here.

Son of a Mesothelioma Victim Shows Veterans with Mesothelioma How to Get the Right Answers, Right Away

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The West Los Angeles Veterans' Administration Medical Center (West LA VAMC) has taken an important first step to help victims suffering with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), by establishing a Comprehensive Mesothelioma Center at the West LA VAMC.

"Unfortunately, the center is not on the radar," said Clare Cameron, executive director of The Pacific Meso Center. "There is no mention of the Center on the VA website and many doctors in the VA system aren't clued in as to where to get advice or how to utilize the system.  In the meantime, veterans are being misdiagnosed or needlessly suffering without access to specialized care."

The Comprehensive Mesothelioma Center (CMC) in West Los Angeles is headed by Dr. Robert B. Cameron, MD, FACS. His team includes doctors and nurse practitioners who specialize in the areas of pathology, radiation, pulmonary (lung), oncology (cancer) and anesthesia. All have extensive experience with diagnosing and treating MPM, an asbestos-related cancer affecting the lining of the chest - the pleura.

The Pacific Meso Center (PMC) at the Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit research organization, focused on finding better treatments for victims of MPM, has issued a protocol to help mesothelioma sufferers navigate the system and get to the right specialists in time:

Step 1: The patient should inform his or her doctor at his local VA facility about the specialized treatment available at West LA VAMC - the only specialized mesothelioma treatment center in the VA system.

Step 2: Ask the local doctor to contact the West Los Angeles VAMC and request an "inter-facility" consult through the VA's "TeleHealth" program. The person to contact is Almaz Tesfasilase, the cardiothoracic surgery case manager at the West LA VAMC, at (310) 268-4543.

Step 3: Doctors at the CMC will conduct a "virtual consult" by reviewing the patient's medical records and films. They can then assist the local VA doctor with determining the precise diagnosis and recommending a course of treatment.

Step 4: If appropriate, the patient can be referred to the West LA VAMC for specialized treatment. A patient referred to the CMC will have travel expenses paid for by the VA. While in Los Angeles, complimentary lodging will be arranged at the Fisher House, the new West Los Angeles Hotel or a local hotel. The CMC will also arrange for transportation between the hotel and the medical center.

The PMC acknowledges the support of the John Johnson family. John Johnson was a veteran who passed away from mesothelioma in 2012. According to Michael Johnson, "My father might be alive today if he had access to specialists within the VA, but by the time he had heard about Dr. Cameron and his team from friends outside of the VA, it was too late." Johnson's 501(c)(3) non-profit, J.J. Mesothelioma Foundation | Fight Mesothelioma Now!, has a mission to reach out and help mesothelioma sufferers and their families with encouragement and advice, and guide them to the right people at the VA.  See Johnson's step by step video guide.

For further information, please contact:

Clare Cameron – 310-478-4678

www.phlbi.org

http://pressreleaseheadlines.com/son-mesothelioma-victim-shows-veterans-mesothelioma-answers-268202

Johnson Family Advances Mesothelioma Research with $500,000 Pledge to The Pacific Meso Center

February 13, 2013, The Pacific Meso Center accepts the very generous pledge of $500,000 from the family of John Johnson to help build an innovative research and clinical care program between PMC and the Department of Veterans Affairs with the purpose of improving the way veterans are diagnosed and treated at the VA. “We want to help other families get diagnosed as early as possible, so that patients have a fighting chance to survive,” said Sue Johnson, widow of John Johnson.

The Johnson family encourages action with matching pledges to support the proposed Admiral Zumwalt Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Program, named in honor of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, who died from mesothelioma nearly twelve years ago, and all Veterans fighting this horrible disease.

Click here for official press release of Pacific Meso Center.

Michael Johnson Repudiates Suffering, Dedicates Redlands Criterium to Dad and Meso Patients

REDLANDS, CA. Michael Johnson thought he knew a few things about suffering.  As a former professional motocrosser and cyclist, he knew first hand what it felt like to push the body so hard that the mind nearly shut down in a dizzying fog of immeasurable pain.

The Spirit is Strong

Michael Johnson kisses his
Dad's dog tags as he
wins the Redlands Criterium
in epic fashion.  "When I
came out of the corners,
the dog tags would jingle
jangle against my jersey,
reminding me to push harder."


And then Michael’s Dad, John Johnson, died from malignant mesothelioma. MJ watched as his Dad went from a robust and wiry mountain biker to a cancer patient curled up in a lounge chair desperately struggling to breathe, like a fish out of water.  MJ learned about a new kind of suffering, the stupid kind, the kind that takes but doesn't give, and begets only more misery.

After mesothelioma took his Dad, MJ didn’t feel normal. Normally, he loved to race his bike. He loved the training, the intervals, the climbing, the sprinting, the prospect of a personal best or, better yet, the exhilaration of beating the best in the peloton. For seven weeks, MJ couldn't muster the energy to get back on his bike.

On Saturday, MJ returned to the field of battle.  Wearing his “Breakaway from Cancer” kit, in a tough pro race, he had made the breakaway, and his chances for winning looked very good. But bad luck struck. He flatted. Game over.  Dejected, but not defeated, he suited up the next day for one of the grittiest criteriums in the country at the Redlands Classic.

“No excuses,” he kept repeating, mantra like, as MJ lined up under forboding grey skies for the start of a technical, 50 minute criterium in downtown Redlands. Fittingly, the greatest criterium rider in U.S. cycling history, Davis Phinney, gave a send-off speech in which he celebrated the primal joys of watching his son carry the family torch.  Davis has progressive Parkinson’s disease. His son, Tyler, is one of the fastest time trialists in the world with a very bright future.

The gun went off.  The pack bolted.  The winds picked up as the skies grew darker. A storm was coming. Ten minutes into the race, bad luck again struck MJ. He broke a spoke on his front wheel. Frustrated, but determined, MJ pulled into the pit and grabbed a new wheel. When he re-entered the race, MJ’s focus took on an all new intensity.

“I wasn’t racing for myself,” he recalls. “I was racing for my Dad. What I’d normally call ‘pain’ – the fatigued legs, the gasping lungs – were no longer painful. They were simply a reminder that I was going for it, pushing myself, going bigger.”

MJ attacked. Against all odds. One man against 90. By his own accounts, not a textbook move. “I still had 40 minutes to go,” said MJ. “Normally it would make no sense. But today was different. I went into that sort of out of body ‘zone’ that people dream about. ”

Zone indeed. MJ pounded off the front, pedaling through each sharp turn, stomping out of the saddle to regain speed, carefully monitoring his gap on the hard charging field. With five laps to go, the crowd of 3,500 was on it’s feet, sensing that this move was no fluke. It wasn’t for show, or fleeting glory. This was real.

“I kept asking for strength. Asking myself. The skies above. The crowd. Even the trees.,” MJ revealed, in a whisper. “There’s a spirit out there. I know my Dad’s apart of that, and I was tapping into it, like I never have before, and may never again.”

The spirit moved him and kept MJ in full gallop all the way to the line. He crossed the finish line, raised his fist, and kissed his Dad’s dogtags that had been dangling from his neck.  Twenty seconds later, the peloton sputtered in, spent, as the skies opened up and the gutters filled with rain.

MJ had pulled off the unthinkable – against the odds, if not better judgment, he attacked, opened a gap, and held it for more than half the race against a field of raging chasers to whom both “gifts” and “giving up” were sacrilegious.

But was MJ “alone?”  “It was a solo V,” the powerfully built former fullback said, carefully choosing his wordw, as if entering unchartered territory. “But I wasn’t alone. My Dad was with me. My family was with me. My Mom, who had always come to my races with Dad. All cancer survivors were with me. Heck, your brother [David Worthington] was on the corner giving me splits and cheering for me. Your Dad was with me, too.” 

Michael “MJ” Johnson dedicated the win to his Dad, all mesothelioma survivors, and their families. MJ is sponsored by Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer  initiative and the Pacific Meso Center, a non-profit medical foundation whose mission is to create new therapies that will convert meso into a chronic but not fatal disease.

Roger Worthington

Breakaway from Cancer

3/26/12

Read All About It! The WLAVA Unfurls Its Meso Program for Veterans

It’s up!

The Veteran’s Administration’s website has been updated. Veterans with mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer can now arm themselves with the tools they need to fight back.

Click here to learn more about the Comprehensive Mesothelioma Treatment and Research Program at the West Los Angeles VA.

This is a first. Since 1998, the WLAVA has partnered with UCLA Medical School to develop rational strategies to treat mesothelioma. Unfortunately, very few veterans outside of Los Angeles knew about the alliance, as the VA didn’t publicize the program (or fund it).

Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of the John Johnson family, as well as the perseverance of Dr. Robert Cameron, the VA has finally acknowledged the program publicly. This is a giant and long-overdue step in the right direction.

John Johnson’s story is well known. Mr. Johnson, a veteran, died from mesothelioma three years ago, almost to the day. When he died, the Johnson family vowed to help the VA build a nationwide mesothelioma program and publicize it so that other veterans could access specialized care on a timely basis.

This is a very special day. We have represented veterans with mesothelioma for over two decades. In nearly every case, family members have asked what they can do to reverse the Federal government’s apathy towards service-connected mesothelioma. They have inundated politicians and administrators with letters pleading for change. And now they have something to celebrate!

We want to thank all the veterans and their wives, sons and daughters for making their voices heard. We also want to single out Dr. Dean Norman, the Chief of Staff at the WLAVA.  Dr. Norman is faced with enormous challenges. Every year his workload gets heavier, while his budget gets lighter. Dr. Norman never made any excuses. He championed the Mesothelioma program from the git-go and has vowed to find the money to build it up.

Thanks again to all the doctors, nurses and staff at the WLAVA and UCLA who have never given up on their mesothelioma patients.

RGW

2/2/15

For more about information about lung-sparing surgery, cryoablation, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and the specialized approach to treating sarcomatoid mesothelioma offered at the WLAVA, please click here.

Cracking the Code: Have We Found the Cause of “Idiopathic” Mesothelioma Among U.S. Women?

For years now the asbestos industry has denied full responsibility for mesothelioma among women in the U.S.  They have argued that for most women, mesothelioma is “idiopathic,” meaning “we don’t know what caused it” but, parenthetically, wink-wink, “we didn’t.”

They cite to all kinds of junk science to support their litigation-driven argument.  One report says that asbestos causes only 20% of mesothelioma diagnosed in U.S. women. [E.N. Pavlisko and T.A. Sporn].  While another posits that 60% of mesothelioma diagnosed in U.S. women is simply “idiopathic,” a conclusion derived from the simple fact that these women did not have “occupational” exposure (as opposed to “domestic,” or “environmental” or whatever bizarre box they construct to shift liability).  [A Lacourt, C Gramond, et al, Feb. 7, 2014]

Watson and Crick
Cracking the Genetic Code

Boiled down, their argument is that: 1) only amphibole asbestos causes mesothelioma; 2) amphibole asbestos was used primarily in insulation and construction materials, 3) men (not stay at home women) primarily worked with amphibole asbestos materials; 4) ergo, asbestos primarily causes mesothelioma in men, not women.  

If you’re an asbestos company, this is a great, albeit self-serving, argument.  Most asbestos products sold in the U.S. contained mainly “chrysotile,” not “amphibole,” asbestos.

Not surprisingly, companies that made products with chrysotile asbestos routinely defend mesothelioma lawsuits based on this same argument.  Namely, they seek to prove that the patient was exposed to amphibole asbestos, which they agree causes mesothelioma, at some time in his or her lifetime.  They then try to convince the jury that it was the amphibole asbestos, not their “asbestos lite” chrysotile, that is the culprit.

Fortunately, most juries like solid evidence based on real science.

Recently, a jury in Los Angeles County considered these arguments and found them wanting.  As we have reported, the Winkel case involved claims against Colgate-Palmolive, which sold Cashmere Bouquet, a talcum powder laced with asbestos, for over five decades

It turns out that Cashmere Bouquet was impregnated with both kinds of asbestos – chrysotile and amphibole, depending on which of the three mines they sourced their talc.

As reported, this was the first case that made it to trial against Colgate-Palmolive.  For years the talcum powder industry has spent millions to crush plaintiffs and their lawyers who dared to prove their case to a jury.  As one of their lawyers warned us early on: if you continue this case, we will destroy you, your practice, your clients and your experts.

Why did they fight so ruthlessly?  Like their life depended on it?  We think we know why.

Go back to that high number of conveniently unexplained U.S. women diagnosed with mesothelioma.  Over 60%, they argued, were idiopathic.  Well, idiopathic simply means “we didn’t look hard enough.”  Truth is, they didn’t want anyone taking a hard look at their talcum powder.  You can’t blame them.  If you do look hard, the talcum powder industry is in big trouble.

No matter what box you throw it in – “occupational,” “environmental,” “domestic” or whatever - it’s the worst kind of exposure.  Millions of women used talcum powder.  They used it daily.  They liberally applied it all over their bodies.  They sprinkled it on their undergarments.  They powdered it on their babies.  The intended use of the product generated gobs of visible, fine and respirable dust.  And they never warned anyone that that fragrant fluffy white powder contained toxic and deadly asbestos.

Now questions are being asked.  What other cancers are caused by talcum powder?  For years women have been contracting ovarian cancer and we’ve never fully understood why.  Is ovarian cancer linked to talcum powder?  A jury recently answered “yes” to that question in a case against Johnson and Johnson (see http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-05-24/women-are-suing-johnson-johnson-over-talcum-powder).

Did we crack the code?  For the last 50 years how many of those U.S. women with “idiopathic” mesothelioma regularly used talcum powder after showering?  Our hunch is plenty.  And the sad part is the talcum powder industry has gotten away with it.

RGW

May 28, 2015