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In This Issue:
Promoting mesothelioma awareness and raising funds for related research are causes close to BWH donor Edith Crist's heart.
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer occurring in the layer of tissue that covers most of the body's internal organs. The most common type of mesothelioma?-?malignant pleural mesothelioma?-?affects the tissue surrounding the lungs and the inner chest wall. Three years ago, Crist's husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma and died after a five-month battle with the disease.
Since then, Crist and her family have supported BWH's International Mesothelioma Program through an annual memorial golf outing held in York, PA, where the family lives. Founded by Chief of Thoracic Surgery David Sugarbaker, MD, the program is the largest of its kind in the world and offers state-of-the-art treatment to patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Its multidisciplinary team addresses the clinical and emotional needs of patients, serving as an international model of collaborative care.
"We hope a cure can be found so other families do not have to endure the tragedy that we have," said Crist. "Over the past three years, we have met many other families affected by this disease, which makes us even more passionate about the cause. We can and will make a difference in the fight for a cure."
To date, the Jeff Crist Memorial Golf Outing has raised nearly $86,000 for the IMP. This year's event-an 18-hole, four-person scramble-was held earlier this fall. It drew 110 golfers from Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Colorado and elsewhere, raising roughly $30,000.
Learn more about the International Mesothelioma Program.