“Walking the Walk” For Others—A Jarvis Family Tradition

“Little” Sonia and 
“Mama” Sonia Jarvis

We are just five days away from the 2nd Annual 5k Walk/Hike for Meso at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills, and Sonia Jarvis, who lost her father last year to malignant pleural mesothelioma, has been busy rallying the troops.

This past weekend Sonia and her family hosted a pasta dinner at their home to kick-off their fundraising efforts for the upcoming event. This is the first time Sonia has organized anything like this, “I wasn’t sure how many people would actually show up, not very many RSVP’d, but the turnout was amazing! There wasn’t a dull moment, we had people coming in the door as others were leaving, so it was perfect.” The fare included homemade lasagna, mostaccioli, sausage and peppers, and an assortment of salads and desserts. The event raised over $2000!

While there are many who “talk the talk” when it comes to taking the time and effort to help others, Sonia’s father Charles “Chuck” Jarvis was always one to “walk the walk”. “Dad always wanted to give, this man would give you the shirt off of his back. People say that about people, but he really was that guy,” Sonia says of her father.

When Chuck was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the fall of 2011, he was scared, and he had no idea what to expect. It was when he spoke with Clare Cameron of the Pacific Meso Center and UCLA thoracic surgeon, Dr. Robert Cameron, that his heart and mind were put at ease. “They walked him through everything and let him know what to expect and even though he was still scared, he made up his mind to help if he could.” Sonia says.

“He decided to embrace what was going on and to reach out and give others help and comfort. His motto to the end was, “I want to help.” Sonia continues, “he instilled that in us, raised us that way. He would contribute everything he could. That is why my brother and I decided to do this, to help others, because that is what dad would done.”

Chuck Jarvis, Jr (r) with Sheriff Lee Baca

Just last month Chuck’s son, and Sonia’s brother, Chuck Jr. was one of the rallying forces behind the successful fundraising event The Greatest Escape Motorcycle Ride which raised over $100,000 for mesothelioma research!

“It is hard without him here, but I know my dad is smiling down on me. This is what he did before he died, and this is what he would want us to be doing. I am so proud of what he taught us and instilled in us. It is hard to have lost him, but we are all so very blessed to have had him for as long as we did.”

Sonia is already planning for next year when she will be hosting more dinners and begin fundraising even earlier, we can’t wait!

Please join us this Sunday, October 27 at Paramount Ranch for a scenic morning hike in the Agoura Hills, followed by food, beer and live music! Head over here to register today!

Register Today for The 2nd Annual 5k Walk/Hike for Meso, Only 10 Days Away!

The 2nd  Annual5k Walk/Hike for Meso at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills is just 10 days away! If you haven’t registered yet, head on over here to sign up as an individual or as part of a team.

So far over $32,000 has been raised and we are still ten days away from the event - well on our way to reaching this year’s goal of $70,000!

Up for live auction at the event is the unique and special experience of a tour of Fire Station 92, and dinner for four prepared by Station 92’s very own firefighters!

Items up for raffle include gift certificates for dance lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studios, a Sterling Wine Tour for four at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga, gift certificates for Cheesecake Factory, Lobster House, and The Malibu Café, a doggy gift basket and gift certificates for dog training, champagne & wine baskets, Suzanne Somers Gift Basket, Murano Glass Collectibles and more!

Lunch will be provided by Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant which you can wash down with craft beer from Fireman’s brew, all while enjoying the musical stylings of the Chris Murphy violin trio.

Join us for a beautiful morning hike through the Agoura Hills and a fun filled afternoon in the historic old west town!

Register today, and don’t forget to fundraise!

64 Year-Old Biphasic Mesothelioma Patient Coping With A New Reality. Simi Valley, CA

Sometimes Arlene Delman still sees glimmers of her previous life when she least expects it. Like when a stranger pays her a compliment on her hairstyle at the grocery store which she adds, isn’t the first time, she can’t help but feel good. “I never got this much attention with my real hair,” she giggles. These moments of normalcy most resemble her old life before she was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in October 2012. Now she admits to shedding more than a few tears when she removes her wig at the end of the day. She has always been an attractive woman with big twinkling blue eyes, but her vanity has been rendered insignificant in the way she has tackled her treatment both aggressively and optimistically.

Prior to her diagnosis, Arlene had retired to lovely and quaint Grants Pass, Oregon. She and her late husband Ivan had settled there to be close to her son Roger and his family. Arlene had recently purchased a fixer-upper home in Grants Pass and had invested a lot in upgrades. When her respiratory symptoms from the summer before were not subsiding, she followed-up with her doctor who recommended a CT scan. The scan revealed a mass and Arlene was scheduled for a pleural biopsy in early October. She was shocked when the results came back positive for mesothelioma. Click here to read more...

77 Year-Old Retired Ironworker, One Year Meso Free. Santa Barbara, CA

Jerry Buck is a handsome and charming man who looks at least 10 years younger than his age of 77. Jerry and his wife Joyce of 56 years moved with their two children from Winnipeg in 1964 and have called Santa Barbara home ever since.

Before Jerry was diagnosed with mesothelioma, he was enjoying his retirement with Joyce, often taking road trips in their RV and exploring the beach and mountains surrounding their home.

When he was just 15, Jerry began working for his father who was a blacksmith, welder and ironworker. He grew up to learn his father’s trade, and worked as an ironworker for 41 years until he retired at the age of 56.

When Jerry first began experiencing respiratory issues in the fall of 2010 he paid a visit to his doctor. After taking some x-rays of Jerry’s chest, his doctor referred him to pulmonologist Dr. David Zisman at the Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara. Dr. Zisman ran additional radiology scans and found that Jerry had fluid building up in his chest. In October of 2010, Jerry underwent the first of many thoracentesis, removing one liter of fluid from his chest. Cytological analysis of the fluid came back negative for malignancy. Click here to read more...

Lowering Copper Levels in Mesothelioma May Make Standard Treatments More Effective

Researchers at Western Australia’s Curtin University have found promising data to suggest that lowering the amount of copper in the body will improve a patient’s response to treatment for mesothelioma. In previous studies, decreasing the bioavailable, or absorbable, copper has shown promising results in reducing the rapid growth of tumors in different cancers and in animal models.

Copper is an essential trace mineral found in a wide range of vegetables, nuts and shellfish, and is needed by the body to utilize iron, maintain the health of bones and connective tissue and keep the thyroid gland functioning normally. Copper is also essential for the growth of new blood vessels, which is vital for the growth and spread of tumors.

Researchers monitored copper levels in tumor growth in mice implanted with human derived mesothelioma tumors and found that they rapidly accumulate copper as they progress. Using chelation drugs that attract the mineral, researchers experimented with lowering the level of copper in the mice and found that tumor growth was slowed. Also noted was a reduction in blood vessel diameter within the tumors and an increase of cancer-fighting T-cells.

Copper lowering alone does not produce the same results as other treatment options, such as chemotherapy, but researchers suggest that lowering copper levels when used in conjunction with other mesothelioma treatments, may make other treatments more effective.

The researchers state that further investigation is needed, but that the data suggests copper lowering in combination with immunotherapy looks promising.

Read the full study here.

Just 21 Days to the 2nd Annual 5k Walk/Hike for Mesothelioma

In just 21 days the Pacific Meso Center (PMC) will host the 2nd Annual 5K Walk/Hikefor Meso at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. Worthington & Caron, PC is proud to once again be the title sponsor of the event which seeks to raise money for mesothelioma research and increase awareness about mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos.

Last year’s inaugural event was attended by over 200 walkers, hikers and runners. Many of the teams were organized by families and friends of mesothelioma sufferers. The event proved to be a source of inspiration and hope for those fighting the disease. For those who have lost loved ones to the disease, the event was an opportunity to heal through remembrance, camaraderie and working together to support research that will benefit current and future mesothelioma patients. Last year’s event raised over $66,900. This year’s event promises to be bigger and even more successful!   

The McCarthy Clan was the top
fundraising team at last year’s event
raising over $18,000!

The walk/hike takes teams along the scenic and wooded paths around historic Paramount Ranch, where many famous western movies and television series have been filmed since the 1930s. Following the walk, participants can satisfy the appetite they worked up with a delicious lunch from Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant. The lunch has been generously donated by Noella Belvedere, owner of Ottavio's, whose husband Ottavio, the restaurant’s namesake, lost his battle with mesothelioma in 2007. Craft beer will be provided by Fireman’s Brew and wonderful prizes will be up raffle. Music will be performed by the Chris Murphy violin trio.

Please join us for what promises to be another great event! You can put together a team or walk as an individual. Registration is $35 and includes lunch and a commemorative t-shirt. All proceeds will support research into improved treatments and prevention strategies for mesothelioma being conducted by the Pacific Meso Center at its two research laboratories in Los Angeles.

Some teams are getting a head start on this year’s event. As of today, 25 days before the starting gun goes off, over $17,000 has been raised!

Let’s help PMC beat this year’s goal of $100,000!

Join us Sunday, October 27th 2013 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities and to register visit here, or contact Clare Cameron, Executive Director at 310-478-4678, or via email: ccameron@phlbi.org.