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

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.

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.

Veterans’ Day 2013---A “Call to Arms” to Help Veterans Stricken with Service-Connected Mesothelioma

In prior years, Worthington & Caron, P.C., has used Veterans’ Day as an opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to military veterans who have contracted mesothelioma from service-related exposures to asbestos. Indeed, as many of you know, approximately one-third of Americans diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed in the military.

This year, in addition to offering kind words of acknowledgment and gratitude, we would like to offer asbestos-exposed vets something much more important. Something they really need. Something that’s long over-due. This year we want to take action to get the US Government to effectively treat vets stricken with service-related mesothelioma. And we want you to join us.

Here’s the deal: The West Los Angeles VA Medical Center has taken an important first step to improve the treatment of asbestos-exposed vets by establishing a first-of-its-kind “Mesothelioma Center of Excellence.” The Center offers patients access to some of the most innovative and effective treatments from one of the nation’s leading mesothelioma specialists. The problem is that the Mesothelioma Center of Excellence remains a virtual secret even to this day.

Officials at the West LA VA have been asked to do a better job of educating VA doctors and vets about the Mesothelioma Center of Excellence. They have also been asked to expand the Center so it can provide its unsurpassed level of treatment to greater numbers of vets and conduct research and clinical trials that will benefit ALL patients, vets and non-vets, who are diagnosed in the future.

The West LA VA officials we have spoken with have enthusiastically agreed that these requests have merit. They have agreed to work with pathologists nationwide to refer patients to the West LA VA. But, for reasons that are unclear, the VA has not even updated its website to include information about the existing program, nor have they agreed to fund an expanded program.

How many news stories have we seen about our vets being subjected to deplorable conditions and inferior treatment at VA medical centers across the country? The Mesothelioma Center at the West LA VA is a shining example of vets receiving a level of treatment that is unsurpassed by the nation’s most prestigious private hospitals. But when vets are deprived of this treatment simply because doctors in the VA system don’t know about the Mesothelioma Center of Excellence, the results are no less upsetting. This cannot be allowed to continue.

Families of veterans who are casualties of mesothelioma are strongly behind this effort. The family of Navy Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, who died of mesothelioma in 2000, has agreed to lend their name to the expanded program. The new center would be called the “Elmo Zumwalt Mesothelioma Treatment & Research Center.” Other families have pledged financial support to kick-start the program, including a pledge of $500,000 from the family of John Johnson, a Marine infantryman who lost his battle with mesothelioma in 2012.

Now we need your help.

Our firm is reaching out to clients and their families urging them to send letters to their senators and congressman or congresswoman demanding that they get the VA to do two simple things: 1) Get the word out to VA doctors and vets about the Mesothelioma Center of Excellence at the West LA VA—at a minimum, update the VA website to include information about the Center, and 2) Provide the modest funding needed to expand the program into the “Elmo Zumwalt Mesothelioma Treatment & Research Center” with the capacity to treat greater numbers of vets and conduct research and clinical trials that will benefit ALL patients, vets and non-vets.

Next week our firm will be sending out suggested letters to your US Senators and Representative. Please sign and send them. Also, please follow up with emails and phone calls. If you don’t receive our mailing, or are eager to take action today, please contact us at 800-831-9399 or info@worthingtoncaron.com so we can help get you started.

Whether for a loved one, or for any of the thousands of veterans who have suffered because of the asbestos they were exposed to while defending our freedom—let’s do this!  Not only will a clinical trial and research program directly benefit all vets no matter where they live, the lessons learned stand to benefit ALL patients diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma

Our veterans have done their duty. We’re asking the VA to do theirs.

In honor of Veterans’ Day 2013, please join us in this effort.

--Roger Worthington & John Caron

Over $75,000 raised in the Fight against Meso--Pacific Meso Center’s 2nd Annual Walk/Hike for Meso a Huge Success!

Pacific Meso Center’s 2nd Annual Walk/Hike for Meso took place on Sunday, October 27^th at the scenic Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. It was a "walk on the wildside", with spottings of deer, foxes and rabbits. The sun was shining, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the energy was high.

The event was attended by several mesothelioma patients, as well as over 200 participants, many of whom are friends and family of persons whose lives have been rocked by mesothelioma. Each kilometer was marked with signs sponsored by families in memory of the loved ones affected by the disease. There were also mesothelioma and asbestos facts scattered throughout the course, and a quiz at the completion of the walk with prizes for the 15 top scores.

As walkers approached the finish line they were cajoled by the enchanting celtic/country music of the Chris Murphy Violin Trio. Their efforts were then rewarded with a delicious lunch from Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant, donated by owner Noella Belvedere who lost her husband Ottavio to mesothelioma in 2007. Noella and her family are no strangers to the cause--Over the past few years, the Belvedere family has raised more than $117,000 for mesothelioma research in honor of Ottavio!

When the dust cleared, over $75,000 had been raised to fund much-needed research into new treatments for mesothelioma. This amount exceeded PMC’s goal for the event for the second year in a row, and donations are still coming in! Family and friends of Gerald McCarthy once again accepted the title of the top fundraising team with their team, Irish Stampede, bringing in $13,460. They were followed by Team Gigi in second place who raised $6,380, and Team Chuck Jarvis came in at third with $5,188.

“The weather was perfect, the people were fantastic, and the money raised was crucial in the fight against this horrible disease” said Dr. Robert Cameron, PMC’s Scientific Advisor and a leading expert in treating mesothelioma. Dr. Cameron is also Director of the Mesothelioma Program at  UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.

“This annual walk/hike gives people in the mesothelioma community an uplifting experience in a beautiful outdoor setting. We are grateful for the continued financial support of our cutting edge research to find better treatments for mesothelioma,” commented Clare Cameron, Executive Director of PMC. “This event is going to get bigger every year as word spreads in the mesothelioma community.” 

PMC’s Annual Walk/Hike for Meso is held in loving memory of Ottavio Belvedere, Mark Ganoe, Charles Jarvis, Sr., John Johnson, Gerry McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Rosa Gonzalez, Robert Vitale and to all those who have lost their lives to mesothelioma.

Team Worthington Caron was represented by 
Julianna Farrell, Cindy Adams and John Caron

The Greatest Escape Shows Anything's Possible

Roger Worthington with John Caron (r)

Los Angeles, CA. Riding a motorcycle with a throng of true believers from Marina Del Ray on a sunny Sunday afternoon through Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and Malibu without stopping at a single intersection -- impossible. Right?

Wrong! It is possible if you have a police escort, and the backing of the Pacific Meso Center, the nonprofit dedicated to discovering new and better ways to treat patients with malignant mesothelioma, the same asbestos related cancer that took the life of famed Hollywood icon Steve McQueen more than 30 years ago.

Thanks to the Pacific Meso Center, John Caron and I were able to join similarly enthused and awestruck motorcyclists last Sunday in "The Greatest Escape," an organized ramble up the coast to commemorate the anniversary of the release of one of McQueen's greatest movies. Thanks to the leadership of PMC, and the work of a small army of volunteers, sponsors, celebrities, vendors and CHP "Evel Knievel" officers, the ride went off without a hitch.

With Greg Paulus (c) whose father was
diagnosed with mesothelioma

"What a momentous day," beamed Caron. "We were pleased to honor those who have passed on, give hope to those still persevering, and just have a day of fun on the beach with many of our clients, their friends and families."

"Before today, I never dreamed it would be possible to motor unabated through some of the worse traffic in the world," he continued. "It goes to show you -- anything's possible, if you're smart, motivated, and organized. The same goes for helping mesothelioma patients. To tame this terrible cancer, which has taken down so many for so many years, it's going to take a smart and motivated team of doctors, scientists and researchers, along with politicians, organized labor, patient advocates, drug companies and the government."

The Greatest Escape raised over $100,000, which will be used to fund ongoing research initiatives at PMC's laboratory in Los Angeles. Worthington & Caron, which helped sponsor the event, donated $50,000 to the PMC on behalf of all our clients who have struggled with mesothelioma.  It was gratifying to rumble up the coast with our clients Chuck Jarvis, Jr., Michael Johnson and William Paulus, three young men who each lost their Dads to mesothelioma.

With Michael Johnson, son of John Johnson

Plans are already underway for next year's Greatest Escape. Not only does the event support a worthy cause, it also offers the chance of a lifetime to throttle without stopping through Los Angeles and up the coast to enjoy the sunshine on the beach with friends, dance to live rock ‘n’ roll music, sip a craft beer or two and chow down on great food.

For more about the event, please read the press release posted by the Pacific Meso Center here.  We wish again to thank the PMC, all the volunteers, and the California Highway Patrol for their hard work.  And a special shout out to our friends Clare Cameron, Victoria Adams, Dr. Robert Cameron, Michael Johnson, William Paulus, and Chuck Jarvis, Jr., along with a big kudos to our new friends the Walking Phoenixes, Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, Larry Wilcox, Sheriff Lee Baca, Disc Jockeys Tom & Sandy and Lorenzo Lamas.

Roger Worthington

California Highway Patrol
Thank you!

Team FAC Does it For Dad, Wins the Gold

Photo courtesy of Lasala Images

Racing a bike hard won’t cure cancer.  Racing a bike really hard and even winning won’t cure it either. So what’s the point? Why am I so proud and privileged to have won the gold medal with my friend and teammate Michael Johnson in the Masters National Championships tandem time trial last week in Prineville, Oregon?

I’ll tell you why.

Michael – MJ – and I have a bond. It’s not a bond we wanted, because it came about only through unspeakably sad and wrenching loss. MJ lost his father, John Johnson, in 2012.  I lost my father, David “Punch”Worthington, in 2006.  Both were taken from us well before their prime. These two strong and swarthy former U.S. Marines were taken by cancers caused by asbestos.

Like so many others who have lost a father or mother to asbestos cancer, MJ and I miss our Dads.  We remember them for the way they fought back, against the odds, to overcome their affliction with honor and dignity.  We remember how, despite the pain, and constipation, and bloating, and tumors, and emaciation, they soldiered on, never giving up, and never complaining.

“My God,” we silently screamed, “If we had only a fraction of their strength!”  MJ and I were impressed and awed by the examples set by our fathers.  MJ’s a former professional bike racer.  I have a life-long passion for cycling.  About a month ago we decided to compete at Nationals to in some small way honor the life and times – the good and the bad times – of John and Punch, respectively.

We hooked up on a bike built for two, aka, a "tandem."We hadn’t ever ridden a tandem together before. We dialed in the bike (seat height, handle bar position, etc.) literally an hour before the gun went off. Admittedly, we were scared. What if we flailed? What if our rhythm was off? What if we cracked, or crashed, or simply lacked the power?

Photo courtesy of Lasala Images

Fear can be a very strong motivator. MJ didn't’ want to let me down, and I didn't want to let him down.  And neither of us could stomach letting the spirit of our Dads down. We knew we had to give 110%. Neither MJ nor I are wispy crystal gazers but we wanted so badly to believe that by choosing with all our might to go “into the box” of pain we would somehow leave our bodies and connect on that mythic astral plane with our tough marine progenitors.

Our goal was to bond, to connect, to triumph, and more viscerally to smash the 25 mile course record of 51.25.  In short, our mission was to crush. We knew it would come down to the last few miles, when our legs were loaded up and the oxygen was scant and we were in the tunnel hurtling through the blackness fueled by glorious sacrificial suffering.

MJ set a wicked pace.  We went out hard and fast.  MJ said later he kept imagining his Dad, John, looking down with a smile. My thoughts went to the river, the Crooked River, which meandered along our race course through high canyon walls. Punch used to drift down this river in his big flat bottom canoe, fishing, camping, drinking Hamm’s and, as he said, connecting with his “spirit eagle.”

The last few miles, when we entered the tunnel, when the lights went dim and the brain slowed down but the legs kept robotically churning, MJ and I both realized this was a moment we would look back on, forever, whether happily or not.  We wanted “happily." Again, the fear kicked in, forcing us to leave nothing to chance, and blow it all out. MJ could barely breathe, I could barely breathe, but we each summoned the energy to shout into the wind with conviction “John Johnson!” and “Punch!”  This was indeed our moment and we wanted to share it with our Dads.

We crossed the line, wasted, but happy. We knew we left nothing on the course, and if that wasn't good enough to win, so be it.  I checked my Garmin computer. “Holy Smokes!” We had averaged 30.1 mph and recorded a time of 49.15, shattering the course record by over two minutes.  We later learned that we – “Team F.A.C” (F-- Asbestos Cancer] had beaten the second place team by four minutes.

No, we didn't beat mesothelioma, or lung cancer, or asbestosis.  We didn’t raise money for cancer cure research.  And we didn’t bring our Dads back.  But for those 49 minutes and 15 seconds we honored the memories of our Dads in a way we believe they would appreciate. We did it the way that they had taught us -- fight hard for what you believe, go for the gold and give something back.  MJ and I lost our Dads but from their loss we gained a brotherhood that will last forever.

RGW

9/11/13

The Hunt for A Cure: W&C responds to WSJ article

The Wall Street Journal, which is in the business of putting asbestos trial lawyers out business, contacted me over a year ago. They wanted to run an article about my donations to medical research.

As a journalist myself in college, it didn’t take long for me to figure out their angle. They wanted to show that somehow my practice of sponsoring medical research, as opposed to spending oodles on TV and Google ads, was “fishy” if not “rotten.”

The result of that year long quest appeared today in the crusty WSJ under the byline of reporter Dionne Searcey. The title: “Mesothelioma Doctors, Lawyers Hunt for Valuable Asbestos Cases.” 

Right away you get a feel for the slant. We are “hunters.”  Now, I’ve gotten to know Ms. Searcey fairly well and my guess is she didn’t write the headline.  Contrary to the splenetic anti-lawyer bias of the WSJ’s editorial board,  Ms. Searcey actually went the extra mile to check her facts, question her own biases, and listen to contrary points of view. To her credit, she even previewed with me the accuracy of the quotes she attributed to me and others.  In sum, she has shown a degree of professionalism I did not expect from her employer, and I respect her methods greatly.

But I wanted to clarify just a few points.

First, we wouldn't be in this mess if the asbestos industry hadn’t created it.  Nor would we be fussing about the ethics of sponsoring medical research if the asbestos industry itself had not steadfastly and stupidly refused to clean up their horrific mess.

Second, if the parties responsible for the asbestos cancer mess won’t clean it up, who will? The Federal government has not invested in medical research commensurate with the size of the problem, their responsibility (for Navy vets, meso is a “service connected disability) or their own fault. Meanwhile, the number of people diagnosed with meso is “too small” for Big Pharma to justify any serious investment. The labor unions are broke. If not the patients and their advocates, who will step up? 

Third, if money curries favor, from a strict profits and losses perspective, why hasn’t the asbestos industry donated to research?  A few years ago, Dr. Cameron was invited to speak to 600 asbestos defense lawyers, insurance adjusters and company reps.  He talked about the medical and ethical benefits of sponsoring research. How much did they pony up? Zero. Now, that’s “disgraceful.”

The asbestos industry is notorious for corrupting the medical and scientific literature with false and deceptive articles they paid for designed to prove to juries that asbestos is as benign as mother’s milk. If anyone knows how to curry favor with money, it’s the asbestos industry.

It simply boggles my mind that the industry, after 50 years of wasting tens of billions of dollars on phony research and medical mercenary “experts,” still has yet to see the economic benefits from finding a cure.  Put lawyers like me out of business! Save asbestos-tainted companies from bankruptcy! Spare millions of people agony, misery and death! It makes dollars and sense.

Fourth, the only “stakeholders” that really don’t want to see a cure for mesothelioma are the legions of “bill to kill” defense lawyers. They get paid by the hour. It’s in their economic interest to drag out tedious, life-sucking litigation, as the John Johnson case sadly but clearly demonstrates.

That said, over the past 25 years, I have met several honorable defense lawyers who agree with me that their clients should indeed invest in a cure.  They agree with me that they should find a way to resolve meritorious cases early before racking up thousands and thousands in legal fees. And they agree that it makes no sense at this late date for asbestos defendants to invest in crackpot “experts” to gin up junk science to bamboozle juries, when the money should instead be invested in cleaning up their horrific mess. 

We are quick to forgive in this country.  People, like corporations, make mistakes. What’s unforgivable is the perpetuation of that mistake by stubbornly refusing to own up to it.

Finally, maybe I’m wrong about the “benefits” of keeping meso patients alive. Unfortunately, as long as certain states limit or eliminate the damages available in wrongful death cases, then the bad guys will indeed have an economic incentive to hasten their victim’s demise.  It’s no secret that here in California the asbestos companies generally settle wrongful death claims for far, far less than they do for living claims.  The law encourages this wicked behavior.  In this dark and dusty light, it’s no wonder the bad guys don’t invest in a cure.

My firm’s motto has always been: “Asbestos Lawyers for Life.”  Yes, it’s in my firm’s interest to help my clients live long and prosper.  The day that in this great country we hold in contempt efforts to cure cancer but applaud and reward the cancer creators, well, that’s a day I’d rather put off, and I don’t think I’m alone.

RGW

5/6/13

Hunters for Justice and a Cure for Meso: The John Johnson "Fight Meso" Family, sponsors of the Dana Point Grand Prix