Don't Let Us Get Sick

Warren Zevon lost his battle with mesothelioma in 2003, but like Steve McQueen, he was able to bring attention to this disease. Both men refused usual treatment, but between 1980 (McQueen's deathdate) and 2003, there had been many advances. And there have been more from 2003 to 2011.

Zevon's words--"don't let us get sick"--can serve as a rallying cry for all those who work in fields with a higher risk of asbestos exposure. Any job where you handle insulation, as McQueen did while serving in the military, contains the risk of coming into contact with this potentially deadly substance. Asbestos is a life-saver, when it comes to brake-padding and pipe-insulation. But it has been a life-taker when the people in charge have not adequately protected workers.