About MARF and How You Can Help

It all started in 1998 when Roger Worthington 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, together with the help of Dr. Harvey Pass and Dr. Robert Cameron, Roger Worthington founded the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF). MARF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity that advocates for the mesothelioma patient by advancing research, education and awareness.

After millions of dollars spent on expert fees and litigation, MARF was born in attempt to unite the victims and members of industry in a fight against the common enemy, the tumor itself.

MARF was created to:

• Elevate the needs of the patient as our top priority,
• To foster collaboration between doctors,
• To develop novel treatment strategies,
• To raise money for applied research, and
• To reverse the apathy and nihilism in the medical and patient communities.

In 1999, Owens-Corning pledged $1,000,000 dollars over the next five years welcoming the "opportunity to work together on our common goal of curing mesothelioma."

Since then, several research grants have been awarded, we have held medical symposiums, we have advocated for a medical research program and urged the nation’s capital to recognize mesothelioma. The battle is in full force. Mesothelioma awareness is more than a catch phrase. We still have a long way to go, but the distance between the doctors and finding a cure is lessening.