Mesothelioma Patient Advocacy

Proud Advocate for Justice and Mesothelioma Research

An advocate is 'one who pleads the cause of another.' As lawyers, we have fought for our client’s rights to compensation. But you know as well as I do that our client’s first priority is LIFE. They want to live. They want to watch their grandchildren graduate. They want hope. I have never met a client who said he would gladly trade his lungs for a million dollars or even a trillion dollars." Roger G. Worthington

An Advocate’s Perspective: Empower Mesothelioma Patients with Data-based Hope

In early 2008, our firm wrote an article laying out the choices and difficulties faced by newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients. We suggested that patients need more data and more hard information from surgeons and oncologists regarding options. We also laid out the differences in reported survival times for the two major surgical options, the pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) and extra-pleural pneumonectomy (EPP).
Roger was subsequently invited to make a presentation to the International Mesothelioma Interest Group’s annual congress in Amsterdam on September 25, 2008. Click here to view his speech and PowerPoint presentation, which focused on funding for mesothelioma research and development of an online clinical database.

Action, Not Just Words

The Law Office of Roger G. Worthington is about Action, Not Just Words. RGW,PC has contributed more than $2,590,000 to cancer research and science since 2000

Roger Worthington was one of the founders of The Pacific Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute (PHLBI) which is a non-profit medical research organization whose mission is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases through independent research, collaboration, and education. The Institute has been designated as an IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

PHLBI

The centerpiece of PHLBI is The David "Punch" Worthington Research Laboratory which is located at the The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The lab was started through a generous donation from Roger G. Worthington, a founding director of PHLBI. The lab is dedicated to Mr. Worthington’s father, Punch Worthington, who has survived a bout with asbestos-related cancer due in large part to the skillful treatment of Dr. Robert Cameron.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

It all started in 1998 when I asked some of the most prominent physicians in the country the question: Does Early Stage Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma Improve Prognosis?

Many of them could not accurately say that an early diagnosis would benefit survival. But the common feeling among them was the need to share data with other physicians, track patient treatments and more importantly, FIND A CURE.

In 1999, with the help of Dr. Harvey Pass and Dr. Robert Cameron, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) was born MARF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity that advocates for the mesothelioma patient by advancing research, education and awareness. More…

Other lawyers pay lip service to their compassion. I have donated over $925,000 in cash and hundreds of hours to MARF, which has already funded four research grants at $100,000 each, and is now working with UCLA building a worldwide clinical database for mesothelioma patients.

For more on the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundaion, Click here…

Doctor Patient Alliance

For the first time ever, doctors and patients have collaborated in the effort to improve our litigation system, improve cancer research, and focus the attention on the unique damages that mesothelioma patients must endure. The 10 page policy paper is authored by The Doctor-Patient Alliance for Responsible Asbestos Cancer Policy. It is endorsed by 34 of this country's top medical experts who treat mesothelioma patients. More…

Patient Checklist

You and your family have many questions. You also realize that doctors are notoriously pressed for time. Often, doctors allot only a few minutes for a patient interview. It is therefore essential that you use your doctor-patient time wisely and focus as best you can on the high priority issues. More…

Financial Assistance

Coping with cancer and its aftermath both physically and emotionally is a challenging process that taxes all those involved, including the ones at risk and their loved ones. However, don’t let the financial burdens unduly increase stress. There are many sources for financial assistance, which cater to a range of people and their situations. More…