MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast

MesotheliomaPodcast.com

MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is a supportive, medically informed, and deeply human show dedicated to helping families navigate life after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Hosted by patient advocate, Dave Foster, the podcast brings together the voices of doctors, survivors, caregivers, and leading experts to deliver clarity, guidance, and hope when it’s needed most. Sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, one of the nation’s most experienced mesothelioma law firms, the show offers more than legal insight—it provides practical direction, emotional support, and a roadmap for getting the best medical care as quickly as possible. Whether you or a loved one has just been diagnosed or you're searching for trusted information, MESO breaks down the medical, legal, and personal impact of this rare disease in a way that’s easy to understand and compassionate at every step. Every episode delivers meaningful conversations, survivor stories, expert interviews, and actionable next steps so families can make informed decisions with confidence. If you need answers, support, or guidance—you’re in the right place. For more information, visit Danziger & De Llano at Dandell.com.

  1. 4d ago

    VA Benefits And Mesothelioma

    Filing for VA benefits after a mesothelioma diagnosis feels like the obvious first move but it can be the wrong move if you don’t understand how asbestos exposure is argued across systems. We sit down together and walk through the real-world “should I file?” decision, especially for veterans who served for a few years and then spent decades in high-risk civilian jobs like shipyards, refineries, boiler rooms, HVAC, and industrial plants. When the record gets messy, the VA and companies can start pointing fingers at each other, and that confusion can cost families meaningful compensation. We also talk through practical steps that protect both care and financial stability: getting guidance from a mesothelioma lawyer or advocate who handles asbestos claims and VA claims, using a VA placeholder claim when it helps, and what to do when a VA disability claim gets denied. We share how appeals work, why regional VA service centers can be a powerful resource, and where families can look for strong treatment options through major VA medical centers and affiliated specialists. Finally, we outline the “big three” financial paths families ask about most: Social Security Disability benefits with mesothelioma fast track, asbestos trust funds with payments that often arrive in stages, and lawsuits against viable companies outside bankruptcy trusts. We answer common questions about timelines, whether compensation is taxable, and what “no upfront cost” contingency fees really mean. If this helped, subscribe, share with a veteran’s family, and leave a review so more people find support when they need it most. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    13 min

  2. May 26

    Hope After Mesothelioma

    You can do everything “right” and still get a life-changing diagnosis. Linda Chitwood is a retired RN, longtime nurse educator, and the author of Fear To Faith and she joins us to share how her husband Lenny was diagnosed with mesothelioma despite an outdoors career, no smoking, and no obvious single-source exposure. What started as an unusual cough turned into a moment that stopped her cold: she listened to his lungs and heard nothing on one side. Within days, the medical questions turned to asbestos exposure, tumor findings, and a rare clear cell subtype that required careful pathology review.  We walk through the decisions families dread making, including what it meant to pursue extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), a major surgery that removes the affected lung and surrounding tissue. Linda explains why recovery can be so tough, what helped Lenny do well, and why pain management became one of the biggest challenges. We also talk about how mesothelioma treatment options have evolved, including newer approaches like immunotherapy, and why quality of life remains the central goal.  Just as crucial, we dig into mesothelioma caregiver support: accepting meals, leaning on church and community, taking breaks without guilt, and remembering that adult children often carry quiet fear with too little support. Linda also shares her current fight with multiple myeloma and how her family now shows up for her during chemotherapy. If you’re looking for practical guidance, honest perspective, and real hope, press play, then subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave us a review with what hit home for you. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    24 min

  3. May 18

    A Nurse Learns To Choose Faith Over Fear

    A single, quiet moment can change everything: a nurse listens to her husband’s lungs and hears nothing on one side. From there, life moves fast. We’re joined by Linda Chitwood, an RN, longtime nurse educator, and author of Fear To Faith, to share how her family faced a mesothelioma diagnosis that didn’t “make sense” on paper and what they did next. We talk about asbestos exposure that isn’t obvious, the shock of learning how many older products contained asbestos, and the whirlwind from imaging to biopsy to pathology, including a rare clear cell mesothelioma finding. Linda walks us through why their team considered extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) at Duke, what the surgery removes, and what it really takes to recover and adapt to life with one lung. We also get practical about quality of life, including the toughest part for them: pain control, medication fears, and the relief of finally working with pain specialists. Just as important, we slow down for the human side. We share what caregiver support actually looks like, why accepting help is a gift to both sides, and where families often feel overlooked, especially grown children. Linda also opens up about her current fight with multiple myeloma and how her kids and grandkids now show up for her through chemotherapy. If you know someone navigating mesothelioma, caregiver stress, or asbestos related cancer, subscribe, share this conversation, and leave a review so more families can find support and hope. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    24 min

  4. May 11

    How Mesothelioma Cases Really Get Built

    Mesothelioma commercials make it sound like there’s one easy path to compensation, but the real work happens in the details most people never see. We sit down with Leslie Cooper, a mesothelioma investigator with 23 years of experience and roughly 1,000 client interviews, to explain how a strong case actually gets built from the first in-home meeting forward. We talk through why mesothelioma is rare, why these lawsuits are not class actions, and why one client often has multiple defendants tied to different asbestos-containing products. Leslie explains her step-by-step approach to reconstructing a person’s exposure history chronologically, starting at birth and moving through childhood, military service, career, and household exposure. Along the way, we dig into the moments that surprise families most, including secondhand exposure from a parent’s job and “forgotten” asbestos contact from home projects or hobbies. We also clear up a major misconception about asbestos trust funds. There is not one giant trust you can call for a check. There are dozens of separate bankruptcy trusts, and compensation depends on identifying the right manufacturers and documenting the exposure. Finally, we cover how records help shape the legal strategy and why the state where a claim is filed can matter more than people expect, plus a candid warning about high-volume “meso mills” that don’t treat cases as truly individual. If you or someone you love is navigating mesothelioma, listen, share this with a caregiver, and subscribe for more practical guidance. After you listen, leave a review and tell us what question you want answered next. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    18 min

  5. May 5

    Mesothelioma Deadlines And How To Beat Them

    One missed deadline can wipe out a mesothelioma claim, even when the exposure happened 30 or 40 years ago. We talk about the statute of limitations in mesothelioma cases and why the clock is so unforgiving once a diagnosis arrives. Depending on the state, you may have as little as one year to file and if you pass that limit by even a second, the opportunity can be gone. We also get personal. Larry shares what happened when his dad was diagnosed, how the family focused on finding the best doctor and a treatment plan first, and how quickly the disease progressed. It’s a reminder that mesothelioma is not only a medical emergency, it’s a time-sensitive legal situation too. We connect the dots between asbestos exposure at demanding jobs like refinery work, the lack of warnings or protective gear, and why accountability matters when companies put profit over people. Along the way, we dig into what compensation can actually help with: expensive care like chemo, radiation, immunotherapy, and the everyday bills that pile up while families are already stretched thin. We explain why working with an experienced nationwide mesothelioma law firm can matter, especially when exposure, products, and filing rules vary across states and when you need investigators and resources to move fast. If you want clear next steps after diagnosis, press play, then subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find timely help. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    12 min

  6. Apr 27

    How Two Patient Advocates Guide Families Through Mesothelioma And The Legal Process

    A mesothelioma diagnosis can make everything feel urgent and unreal at the same time, and the hardest part is often not knowing what to do first. We sit down with Kathleen Bono and Sarah Bono, a mother-daughter team who have spent more than a decade meeting hundreds of mesothelioma families face to face, often days after diagnosis or loss. They share what actually helps when a stranger walks into your home, how they build trust quickly, and why families deserve clarity before they ever talk about claims or compensation. We get practical about the asbestos exposure interview: how to reduce pressure when someone is sick, older, or grieving, and how simple “timeline anchors” like weddings, kids, and career chapters can unlock the details needed for a strong case. We also talk about what it feels like to walk into rooms filled with relatives, the power of listening, and the small human moments that stay with you, from veterans’ stories to unexpected laughs that cut through the heaviness. Then we tackle the legal process head-on, including fears about going to court, what a deposition really means, and why mesothelioma commercials can be misleading. Kathleen and Sarah explain the difference between asbestos bankruptcy trusts and solvent company claims, and how transparency and steady communication can make the process feel manageable. If you know someone facing mesothelioma or asbestos-related cancer, share this conversation with them. Subscribe for more, leave a review, and tell us in the comments: what question would you want answered first after a diagnosis? MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    37 min

  7. Apr 20

    Larry Gates Explains What Families Should Do After A Mesothelioma Diagnosis

    A cough. A pain along the ribs. Getting winded on the walk to the mailbox. Those small changes can be the first hints of something much bigger for people with a past asbestos exposure, and they’re the moments that still stick with us after talking with Larry Gates. We sit down with Larry to hear the story of his father, a World War II veteran who worked for decades at a Shell refinery in Pasadena, Texas and was never warned about the danger of asbestos. Larry walks us through what the family noticed first, how quickly mesothelioma progressed after diagnosis, and what it was like to watch an active man decline in a matter of months. If you’re searching for real-world mesothelioma support, this part of the conversation brings the human side into focus, not just the medical terms. We also dig into the practical side families need when life is upside down: how mesothelioma legal claims and settlements work, why early choices matter, and what to do if you’re offered a number that feels wrong. Larry shares how he talks with patients and caregivers today about work history, timelines, and what “fair compensation” can actually mean when you’re trying to protect a spouse and cover treatment costs. We end with clear guidance: get to a doctor fast, ask about modern options like immunotherapy and surgery when appropriate, and don’t let pressure or confusion force a decision you can’t undo. If this helped you, please subscribe, share it with someone facing an asbestos-related diagnosis, and leave a review so more families can find real mesothelioma resources when they need them most. MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    14 min

  8. Mar 2

    From Diagnosis To Goodbye; A Caregiver’s Journey

    Mesothelioma caregivers provide an average of 4+ years of full-time support — and 70% report that the emotional toll remains raw decades later. In this episode of MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast, host Dave Foster — Executive Director of Patient Advocacy at Danziger & De Llano with 18 years of experience — and Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, talk with Marilyn Fake, a mesothelioma victim advocate whose husband Billy — a boilermaker/welder with 36 years of power plant and nuclear plant exposure — survived 4.5 years after his pleural mesothelioma diagnosis. Together, they cover: Billy's diagnosis in Billings, Montana — how an ER doctor identified mesothelioma on first examination and connected the family to MD Anderson in HoustonA 9-hour extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) at MD Anderson under Dr. Rice — including Gore-Tex diaphragm replacement and Kevlar heart coveringThe devastating toll of radiation, chemotherapy with Avastin (bevacizumab), and the kidney failure that ultimately ended treatment optionsA hospital bedside wedding for two children on February 26, 2009 — and a son-in-law airlifted from Iraq by the Red Cross to say goodbye before Billy passedMarilyn's post-loss advocacy — traveling to Washington, D.C. with MARF, becoming a CNA, and creating a nutritional guide for mesothelioma patientsWhether you're a mesothelioma caregiver seeking support, navigating treatment decisions, or looking for practical guidance on patient nutrition and daily care — this episode shares one family's complete journey. FAQ What does mesothelioma caregiving involve day-to-day? Marilyn quit her job as a loan closer to provide 24/7 care for 4.5 years. Daily tasks included managing medications, nutritional supplements, travel logistics for MD Anderson visits, and emotional support through radiation side effects that prevented Billy from eating normal food. What is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP)? An EPP removes the affected lung, diaphragm, and surrounding tissue. Billy's 9-hour surgery at MD Anderson included a Gore-Tex diaphragm replacement and Kevlar heart covering. His surgeon, Dr. Rice, credited Marilyn's caregiving for Billy's 4.5-year survival. How can families cope after a mesothelioma loss? Marilyn channeled her grief into advocacy — lobbying Congress with MARF to ban asbestos, becoming a CNA to work with dying patients, and spreading Billy's ashes at his favorite Montana mountain spot 16 years later with family and their four-wheel-drive club. Expert Source Dave Foster — Executive Director of Patient Advocacy, Danziger & De Llano. 18-year veteran helping mesothelioma families. dandell.com/david-foster/ Resources Mesothelioma Overview: dandell.com/mesothelioma/Compensation Options: dandell.com/mesothelioma-compensation/Free Consultation: dandell.com/contact-us/ MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, a nationwide mesothelioma law firm with over 30 years of experience and nearly $2 billion recovered for asbestos victims. For a free consultation, visit Dandell.com.

    14 min
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About

MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is a supportive, medically informed, and deeply human show dedicated to helping families navigate life after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Hosted by patient advocate, Dave Foster, the podcast brings together the voices of doctors, survivors, caregivers, and leading experts to deliver clarity, guidance, and hope when it’s needed most. Sponsored by Danziger & De Llano, one of the nation’s most experienced mesothelioma law firms, the show offers more than legal insight—it provides practical direction, emotional support, and a roadmap for getting the best medical care as quickly as possible. Whether you or a loved one has just been diagnosed or you're searching for trusted information, MESO breaks down the medical, legal, and personal impact of this rare disease in a way that’s easy to understand and compassionate at every step. Every episode delivers meaningful conversations, survivor stories, expert interviews, and actionable next steps so families can make informed decisions with confidence. If you need answers, support, or guidance—you’re in the right place. For more information, visit Danziger & De Llano at Dandell.com.

Information

  • Creator
    MesotheliomaPodcast.com
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast
  • Show Website
    MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast