Janelle Bedel - Indiana - Her Mesothelioma Story

My name is Janelle, and I was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in April 2007. I had just turned 31 years old.

My symptoms were pain around my left rib, a constant dry cough, then I started to have shortness of breath. I was in good health and didn't expect to be told I had cancer, everything happened so fast. My x-rays showed I had a small tumor in my chest cavity, pleural effusion in my left lung.

I had to have multiple thoracentesis, chemo, thoracoscopy with chest tube drainage and pleurodesis, extraplueral pneumonectomy (EPP) that removed 5 lymph nodes, a rib, my whole left lung, and part of my diaphragm. I then had to have 30 rounds of radiation.

It has been a very hard road to recovery. I've also had to deal with nerve damage, physical therapy, nerve blocks, and depression. I am thankful to be able to say that I have been cancer free for over 3 years.

I am not sure how I contacted mesothelioma. My father was a fireman, and they say I could have gotten the asbestos second hand from his clothing. I also had two uncles who worked in factories around asbestos. No one else in my family has had Meso though.

Now being a survivor for going on 4 years, I have become a mesothelioma advocate. This past September I had a 5k race to raise money for meso research, it also was exciting because I also was able to participate in my first 5K. I raised $3,000 for Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

If you would like your story added to this section of the website, please send me an e-mail.