written by my niece who is a student at Western Kentucky University who is studying to become a speech language pathologist. As she writes here these SLPs do much more than just deal with speech problems. My sister is currently at Cardinal Hill for rehabilitation as a result of stroke. Her breathing and swallowing reflex rehabilitation fall to the SLPs to correct. I' very proud of Kennedy who is a student with curiosity and a great work ethic. She will be an asset to the field.
Miracle Material—Deadly Diagnosis
One of the most tragic, yet mystifying, occurrences on our planet is
the disease of cancer. It comes in many shapes and forms and in most
instances is unpreventable. However, for one particular type of cancer,
prevention is very easy, making it one of the most frustrating.
Mesothelioma happens to be the type of cancer that can be prevented by
avoiding exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately, asbestos has been flooding
into our country for the last two centuries and continues to do so. It
has made its way into our homes, businesses, pipelines, and more. When
we first began using it, asbestos seemed like the miracle material-
strong and inflammable. However, we have discovered since then that this
miracle material is actually a silent killer. The hope for ridding our
country of this disease can only come from awareness and education,
informing everyone that asbestos is extremely harmful and potentially
deadly for those who are exposed. For those families who are dealing or
have dealt with mesothelioma, finding closure and comfort is extremely
important during times of loss. As a future Speech-Language Pathologist,
my hope is to work with individuals dealing with cancer of all kinds in
order to improve their quality of life through effective speech. As
anyone who has dealt with cancer knows, the quality of life during the
last days of someone’s fight is of the upmost importance to that
individual and their family. For me to be able to help would be the most
rewarding experience. However, completely ridding our country of this
toxic material should be our top priority.
Raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos is the number one way we
can prevent mesothelioma and increase early cancer detection. The use
of websites and scholarships such as these greatly expand our
population’s knowledge on the topic of asbestos and mesothelioma. People
who have been exposed to asbestos need to realize that they are in
great danger. Through portals that can vastly spread information, such
as social media sites and news sources, individuals will be able to gain
information that is vital for early detection and treatment. How can
someone take action towards health problems if they do not realize they
are in danger? If continued publications spread word of this deadly
disease, one day, mesothelioma will be a killer of the past. However, it
is going to take the hard work of very dedicated individuals to bring
this awareness to a rise. Our government officials need to be forced to
take a hard look at the legislation of this country. As of now, asbestos
continues to be imported into our country every day at an alarming
rate. In fact, imports of asbestos increased by 25% in 2011 from the
previous year. Americans are being lead astray, believing that our
country is becoming safer from the dangers of asbestos. This is just not
true. What makes this even more frustrating is that over 50 countries
have already banned the importation and use of asbestos. America is
simply disregarding the obvious fact that there are alternative
materials to asbestos that are affordable and safe. It is my duty and
the duty of other informed individuals to raise our voices against
asbestos.
When originally deciding to become a Speech-Language Pathologist
(SLP), I was unaware of how vast the field exactly was. I assumed that
most speech-language pathologists took on the role of working in
elementary schools helping kids with their articulation. However, after
being in the program for only a few short weeks, I have come to realize
that our realm of work is extremely broad. I have specifically seen the
impact of speech-language pathologists in my anatomy class. Realizing
the broad range of people I have the opportunity to work with has opened
my eyes and greatly increased my passion for the field of
speech-language pathology. When working with geriatrics, SLP’s have the
opportunity to help people who have endured strokes and other health
conditions. However, this can also extend to those who are dealing with
cancers such as mesothelioma. One of the symptoms of mesothelioma is
shortness of breath. When individuals experience shortness of breath
this directly affects their ability to speak. Speech is powered by the
lungs and when the lungs do not have enough power to provide the
adequate amount of air supply for speaking, speech can become disfluent,
choppy, and often times at a level that is too low to hear. Very
quickly, communicating can become very frustrating for an individual
with shortness of breath, chest pains, or chronic coughing. Fortunately,
SLP’s are highly trained in giving therapy that can greatly improve an
individual’s speech when experiencing these symptoms. The ability to
effectively communicate is a daily life skill that we often take for
granted. For someone who is potentially facing their last days with
their family and loved ones, communication is something that should not
be sacrificed. As an SLP, my hopes are to have the privilege to equip
mesothelioma patients with the ability to speak both effectively and
comfortably.
I am able to empathize with family members of mesothelioma patients
as I have dealt with my own grandpa suffering from lung cancer. Thanks
to his ability to speak during his last days on Earth, he was able to
share with me stories from his time serving our country in the Navy.
These are memories that I will always cherish. For those families who
have lost loved ones to mesothelioma, there are no words that can
express my deepest apologies. I cannot pretend to understand the
frustration that comes from knowing that the disease that took your
family member was one that could have been prevented. However, the best
thing to do in order to honor your family member would be to channel
this frustration into a passion for spreading the word about asbestos.
In order to prevent asbestos from taking thousands of more lives each
year, action must be taken right now. Our families are continuing to be
exposed to this toxic material because of lack of awareness and
industries refusing to use alternatives for asbestos.
Although cancer is very mystifying, mesothelioma is not. The cause is
known and prevention has been found. This is one cancer that should be
eradicated from our country. However, word must spread. In order for
word to spread, we must raise our voices to our government officials.
Legislation must be passed that completely bans asbestos from entering
through our boarders. The fact that over 50 countries worldwide have
already stopped importing asbestos and America continues to do so is
appalling. But I refuse to stay silent. Through my awareness, others
will become aware. Through my education, people suffering from this
disease will be able to have a better quality of life during their last
moments with family. Through the inspiration of families who have lost
loved ones to mesothelioma, others will be revived. Not a single person
more should lose their life to asbestos because now, we know.
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