{"id":21419,"date":"2024-08-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?p=21419"},"modified":"2025-01-08T12:58:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:58:46","slug":"karen-dalessandro-daughter-of-mesothelioma-survivor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/blog\/karen-dalessandro-daughter-of-mesothelioma-survivor\/","title":{"rendered":"Team Jersey: One Army Veteran\u2019s Battle With Mesothelioma"},"content":{"rendered":"

After witnessing her father\u2019s health rapidly decline for more than a year following a mesothelioma diagnosis, a determined daughter steps in to help him find life-changing medical care<\/em><\/p>\n

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Karen D\u2019Alessandro faced her worst nightmare in 2021 when her father, Gene V. D\u2019Alessandro, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma<\/a>, a rare and aggressive form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.<\/p>\n

Originally complaining of physical pain, the U.S. Army veteran<\/a> believed that his immense discomfort was associated with gout \u2014 a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint swelling and tenderness.<\/p>\n

But the surprising diagnosis of mesothelioma changed everything for the D\u2019Alessandro family.<\/p>\n

Looking for Answers to Medical Questions<\/h2>\n

Over the year and a half after his mesothelioma diagnosis<\/a>, Karen\u2019s father lost weight dramatically.<\/p>\n

To manage bloating and fluid buildup in his stomach, Gene was meeting regularly with his local oncologist \u2014 whose only suggested solution, despite Karen\u2019s long list of research-based questions and concerns, was chemotherapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father is not the type of person to cause problems or pursue confrontations with anyone,\u201d Karen said. \u201cBut I am the opposite. If I see a problem, I tackle it head-on. That\u2019s why I started fighting on his behalf from the beginning of his diagnosis<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Karen asked the local oncologist about any special dietary restrictions or recommendations<\/a> to help Gene, the New Jersey native was told that her father could eat whatever he wanted because nothing has been scientifically proven in this regard one way or the other.<\/p>\n

Karen was left surprised by this reaction. Feeling dismissed and wary, she could sense that this doctor was not professionally or ethically invested in saving her father\u2019s life as her family had hoped.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly seeing a local oncologist for a long time was a mistake,\u201d said Karen, who now advocates for mesothelioma patients to immediately visit a specialist with advanced knowledge of this particular disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cMesothelioma specialists<\/a> are the only doctors who can provide the public with the right education and information about this form of cancer.\u201d
\n\u2014Karen D\u2019Alessandro, daughter of peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Gene<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Learn how other mesothelioma survivors have improved their prognosis by working with specialized doctors. Get our Free Mesothelioma Survivors Guide<\/strong> now.<\/p>\n

Discovering the Game-Changing Power of Immunotherapy<\/h2>\n

\u201cFor over a year, my dad\u2019s health kept getting worse. We thought he was going to die within the next six months,\u201d recalls Karen. \u201cThat\u2019s when I started looking around for a doctor who focuses primarily on mesothelioma.\u201d<\/p>\n

Locating the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in nearby New Brunswick offered the family a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak situation.<\/p>\n

There they met with Dr. H. Richard Alexander<\/a>, an internationally recognized surgical oncologist with extensive experience treating peritoneal mesothelioma.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s crucial to see a mesothelioma specialist. No one else will know how to help you properly or effectively. Your regular doctor might say you have 6 months to live, but a specialist will have more accurate information.\u201d
\n\u2014Karen D\u2019Alessandro, daughter of peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Gene<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

During their meeting with Dr. Alexander, the family discovered that in addition to chemotherapy, Gene was eligible for immunotherapy<\/a> \u2014 a key treatment that no one had ever mentioned before.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Alexander gave us hope by prescribing cancer medications,\u201d Karen said. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize that there are drugs that can act as life-savers for mesothelioma patients<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within a week, Karen\u2019s father started his new regimen of nivolumab (Opdivo\u00ae<\/a>), a medication that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything got better with this medication,\u201d Karen said. \u201cDr. Alexander saved my father\u2019s life<\/strong>. I wish we had accessed this level of expertise from the start so that my family wouldn\u2019t have been so distressed and depressed, thinking my father was going to die soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fighting Together: The Power of Advocacy and Legal Aid<\/h2>\n

Karen\u2019s involvement in her father\u2019s mesothelioma treatment is a shining example of the importance of patient advocacy. Without her dedication and resolve, her father might not still be alive today.<\/p>\n

In addition to finding him a mesothelioma specialist, Karen also encouraged her father to seek legal help. In 2022, Gene\u2019s attorneys successfully filed asbestos trust fund claims<\/a> against the manufacturers of the asbestos-based products that caused his cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must go to a reputable law firm. If your loved one is a veteran, make sure the law firm has a lawyer who specializes in dealing with veterans\u2019 cases.\u201d
\n\u2014Karen D\u2019Alessandro, daughter of peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Gene<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Karen and her father worked with Simmons Hanly Conroy, a veteran-founded mesothelioma law firm<\/a> that\u2019s secured over $10.3 billion<\/strong> for victims of asbestos exposure.<\/p>\n

Mesothelioma Hope partners with Simmons Hanly Conroy to help patients and their families access experienced, compassionate legal help. Get a Free Mesothelioma Case Review<\/strong> to learn how to pursue compensation for treatment.<\/p>\n