I am so thankful I found Dr. Robert Cameron, head of the thoracic dept. at UCLA, who performed my surgery. He is an amazing doctor and surgeon with a heart of gold. I am also very appreciative for Lien Hua-Feng, Dr. Cameron’s nurse practitioner, who is always available to answer any questions and has given me great advice. Through them I met Clare Cameron, who always goes the extra mile and runs PHLBI, a non-profit organization. Clare works closely with Dr. Cameron and Lien to find a cure for cancer and mesothelioma. PHLBI also provides support for patients and caregivers by having monthly conference calls once a month, Lien and Christina McSherry facilitate the calls. I will always be grateful for Dr. Cameron and his amazing team! PHLBI is a fantastic non-profit organization that deserves more attention for all the great work and research they provide.
Being diagnosed with Mesothelioma was like being hit by a bolt of lightning out of the blue. However, I have to count my blessings. First, for Dr. Cameron, head of the thoracic dept. at UCLA, who performed my surgery. Second, for Lein, Dr. Cameron’s nurse practitioner, who is always available to me to answer any questions as the months go by in my recovery. Third, is the PHLBI, the non-profit organization, working closely with Dr. Cameron and Lein to find a cure for this horrible cancer. PHLBI also provides support for patients and caregivers by having monthly conference calls once a month, Lein and Christina facilitate the calls. I have been able to talk to other survivors of Mesothelioma. Being able to talk to other people who have experienced exactly the same thing is invaluable. It’s so easy to feel you are alone in your fight for recovery. PHLBI has filled that hole for me, knowing we’re in this together as a team, Dr. Cameron, Lein, PHLBI, and the patient.
The entire staff at the Pacific Heart Lung &Blood Institute is caring and dedicated. They are like family. I am so grateful to be in their wonderful care. They go above and beyond and they care about every patient. They have all contributed tremendously to the fact that I am thriving. Being diagnosed with mesothelioma is challenging but they are my angles. I will forever be grateful to Dr. Cameron and the entire team.
Thank You,
Anna Schofield
My father was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in 2016 and was given an estimated year to year and a half to live. This doctor said that the disease was rare and there wasn't much he could offer except palliative measures. I refused to give this and started my own research when I came across Dr. Cameron at UCLA who specializes in mesothelioma. While working to get my father seen by this specialist my mother and I were offered the opportunity to participate in a caregiver support group organized by the PHLBI, which was extremely helpful and often times a source of hope for my family. Sharing experiences and tips on how to care for family members helped us to feel less helpless, knowing that whatever my dad was going through was experienced before by someone else and that there were ways to help him was reassuring. The PHLBI also organizes different events, such as a 5k walk/run/hike to fundraise for mesothelioma research which my family has attended the past 2 years. Getting to see the survivors, fighters and supporters work towards helping find other forms of treatment is truly inspiring. I am thankful for the PHLBI and all the work they do for those suffering from mesothelioma.
Top Rocker Harley-Davidson, in Canoga Park, CA, worked with this organization for The Greatest Escape motorcycle ride to benefit Mesothelioma. The team and organizers for this event were pleasant to work with, enthusiastic about the cause and event, and really brought the community together for a great cause. We had over 200 motorcycle riders attend this event, more than 3/4 of which left out of our dealership. The promoting of the event was great, flyers and artwork for social media done ahead of time, and the team was well organized the day of. This organization has helped out our dealership as well during these last few months, and we look forward to working with them in the future.
After my Beautiful, Young and Healthy daughter in Law was diagnosed, K..... was so unknowledgeable in that field, they just give her a death sentence! They made her and her family feel so helpless, scare and demoralized!
A day later when we find PHLBI, Lien (Pract. Nurse) PHLNI, would ALWAYS call on her, each time Cindy had a concern she would call Lien, ( NOT K.....) Cindy felled in good hands, they were not given up on her, there is Hope and Treatments out there, and they were the right people to do so !!!!
Being given a Death Sentence is hard to take, mostly when you are way too young to accept it! Some people are not really to give up, and PHLBI give Cindy the hope that she needed to make her feel that those last months, may not be her last, unlike K.....!!!!
That is PRICELESS!
The monthly Support Caregiver conference is very helpful, we exchange ideal and recipes and I got some good ones to make her life better.
Thank you ALL at PHLBI for your devotion and support!
A special Thanks to Lien, that I feel went behind and above the line of duty! Cindy always find comfort after speaking to you!
We all need to raised awareness on that terrible practically undetectable and incurable cancer! Keep up the good work PHLBI!
Dr. Cameron gave me hope when there was none. Because of him, and his incredible experience and skills as a surgeon, I am here four years later and able to give this review. hank you Dr. Cameron for the many years that you have put into heling others with Mesothelioma. It paid off for me. So you can imagine how easy it was for me to donate my tissue and specimen to the Pacific Mesothelioma's International Tissue Bank for his research. I pray that one day soon, he will find a cure for this dreaded disease. I encourage everyone to become a Research Associate, just like me, by donating your specimen/tissue to The Pacific Mesothelioma's research program. It is so easy and you can help make a difference.
Thank you
Kay Simmons-Gilpatric
The people at the Pacific Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have helped us through this difficult time. Having been diagnosed with Mesothelioma about 10 months ago, the search began for cause, answers, treatment and most of all, hope. Dr, Cameron, Lien, Clare, Christina, the researchers and interns work tirelessly to provide patients with all of this. Beyond the expert medical care, the emotional support for patients and family is invaluable and heart warming. Their research provided us with answers and treatment. Roger is improving daily and hopes to regain the quality of life he once enjoyed. We no longer feel helpless as these people have guided us through the maze of information, provided support and care and continue to update the treatment plan as more research provides more answers and more positive outcomes.
PHLBI is an incredible resource for Mesothelioma patients and their families. Dr. Cameron and his research team truly bring hope to those in a hopeless situation. There have been many groundbreaking discoveries in regard to Meso treatments. PHLBI holds different fundraising events for Meso research, which gives a voice to voiceless. These events help victims and their families feel like they are not alone in their fight against the disease. Many people are unaware of the devastating effects of Mesothelioma and this nonprofit truly helps educate people about this cancer. Furthermore, it advocates for veterans to get the treatment they deserve after a Mesothelioma diagnosis. This truly is a great organization that deserves an immense amount of recognition for the great work it does not only for patients, but also their families.
As a mesothelioma patient I am very grateful to have been treated so successfully and with so much care by their doctors. I now not only appreciate their continued maintenance/care to control recurrence but also appreciate Clare's wonderful support. I wish them success with their immunotherapy research to control this dreadful disease.
My husband was diagnosed with mesothelioma on 07/03/2014 (our youngest birthday), in Anchorage, Alaska. We were told he had only six months to live with chemotherapy and three months without any treatment. We searched on the internet and were very lucky to find Dr. Robert B. Cameron's website. After some difficulties, we finally got an appointment. Then we met Miss Clare Cameron; what a wonderful lady! Through her we were able to get airplane tickets, thanks to Angel Flights, for his first appointment and again for the trip for his surgery. Dr. Cameron did a wonderful job on his lung. Mike (my husband) had to have radiations after the surgery. Miss Clare found us a place to stay for almost four months while he was on treatment. We are about to find out if the treatment worked or not; it has been nine months since we were told there was nothing anybody could do for him. He is 71 years old and he is already thinking about going back to work in the near future. This has been a miracle thanks to our Lord and to Dr. Cameron's hands. Regardless of the news we get this evening, the Lord has given all of us, his family, another opportunity to show Mike how much we love him and all the reasons in the world why it is not his time yet. We are full of hope. THANK YOU Miss Clare for all your help and your very kind words when we thought there was no help. God bless you and give you many more years to live so you can keep on helping people.
Nothing can convey the horror that I felt when they discovered a large tumor in my left lung and I was diagnosed with mesothelioma. The more I read about the disease, the more hopeless I felt. Nearly all doctors recommended removing the lung, then radiation, then chemo, and the survival rate past twenty-four months was negligible. I am still young, and have a career that I love which is very physical; I need both my lungs to keep working and I need to keep working for the health insurance to cover all the medical bills ahead. When I discovered that there was one place that could spare my lung and deal with my disease as chronic but TREATABLE, it gave me hope where there had been none. This nonprofit has helped me find a way to possibly beat this disease by giving me the time to be here for a cure---a cure that they are working toward. They deserve funding and attention paid to the work they do: saving the lives of others like me.
As someone with MESO., I personally am thankful for the nonprofit organization that is helping fund research of the horrible life changing disease. Diaginosed five years age, I am still here and thankful for every moment. I wish I could do more, but please continue to give support to this great research with hopes to end the loss of lives. We live a great distance away, but travel every 90 days to see Dr. Cameron and his clinic staff to see how much longer I will have. Claire has been a ray of sunshine every time we see Her. I donate as much as possible, but Medicare has kept much of the financial settlements so we would give more if we could. Thanks to everyone who supports MESO research. Reed G. Grgich, Colorado Springs, CO. USA.
When my wife was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, we were at a loss as to which direction to go. We searched all possible avenues and eventually sought the alternative approach. After a couple of years, things turned for the worse and it did not look as though my wife would make it. We desperately sought the counsel of Dr. Cameron at PHLBI in Santa Monica, CA. Through Claire and all the rest of the helpful and caring staff there, we were able to travel there for consultation very quickly. Unfortunately my wife's condition did not allow her to be treated due to the level of decline she had endured. Although we were not able to receive treatment, we were treated with utmost professional care and follow up communications. I can say that this has been one of the most positive stops along this road to recovery we have travelled. I can not recommend anyone higher than PHLBI. Blessings to all in your recovery.
William
Our family love these people. When my father was diagnosed with Mesothelioma they were there for us all the way. We've tried to be there for them as well. Claire and the rest of the professionals at PHLB, have put on some wonderful events that we were more then happy to be a part of. We hope for there continued success in helping those suffering from Meso by there work with Dr Cameron and everyone at the center.
Julie Thomason