Lung Leavin’ Day

What would you do when faced with a terrifying reality of certain death if you didn’t act now? Add to that a young husband and infant baby as well. What of them? What of their futures?

This heart-rending fear and reality is what Lung Leavin’ Day is all about.

It’s about how to look that fear in the face and still have the dignity and grace to move forward. It’s about honoring those who have had to find it within themselves to resist the urge to curl up into a tiny ball and hide.

How to Celebrate Lung Leavin’ Day

The day got its name from Heather’s sister. It is also a great day to celebrate not only victories over cancer but over anything that can freeze you in your tracks.

Break Those Worries

Heather and her husband Cameron hope that everyone can learn from their experience. If you can, find a plate and fill it up with a list of all your worries, fears and concerns.

Then find a safe place and smash that bugger and know that as the plate falls to pieces, so can your fears. Find strength in the action of doing something.

Make a List of Worries

If the above doesn’t feel right, you can do the same type of exercise with paper. Again, write all the worries down on the paper.

Then either tear it to shreds or crumple it up! Don’t let the fear take over and hold you still. Better yet, share your fears with someone. Share the load.

It is easier to manage something big with help. There is no reason to keep the fear inside where it can grow and grow.

Be Sure to Smile

Finally, take a moment and smile. Yes, smile. I know you still remember how. No matter how dire things may seem, smile. Honor your battle. Honor your strength.

Maybe even treat yourself to a cookie or ice cream. Know you are strong!

History of Lung Leavin’ Day

Lung Leavin’ Day was established in 2005 when Heather Von St. James was faced with the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Her world stood still in that moment when she was told as she has stated that all she could think about was her three-month-old daughter and her husband of just six years.

Fear could have frozen her in that moment but her determination was soon to become apparent.

Faced with the reality that if she did nothing she would only have 15 months to live or she could try a new radical procedure, she chose to act.

She endured a procedure that removed her left lung, pericardium, diaphragm and pleura. It took months for her to recover from this procedure with help and support from her family and friends.

Heather Von St. James and her family began the tradition of writing their worries and fears on a plate, and then smashing them to show that they have power over the fears.

Heather and her family have celebrated this day for at least 18 years, which is a far cry from the 15 months she was given at first. Join in with Heather and her family to celebrate Lung Leavin’ Day!

Facts About Lung Leavin’ Day

Asbestos Is Still Not Banned in the United States  

Asbestos Is Still Not Banned in the United States  

Despite overwhelming evidence that asbestos causes mesothelioma and other cancers, the United States has never enacted a complete ban on asbestos; the Environmental Protection Agency’s 1989 rule to phase out most uses was largely overturned in 1991, and limited imports and industrial uses continue under regulation rather than prohibition.  

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Often Appears Decades After Exposure  

Malignant pleural mesothelioma typically develops 20–50 years after a person first inhales asbestos fibers, which embed in the pleura (the lining of the lungs) and can cause chronic inflammation, scarring, and DNA damage that slowly progress to cancer long after the initial exposure has ended.  

Removing a Lung for Mesothelioma Is One of Thoracic Surgery’s Most Radical Procedures  

Extrapleural pneumonectomy, a surgery sometimes used for pleural mesothelioma, removes an entire lung along with part of the diaphragm, pleura, and pericardium; major series report operative mortality rates that can approach or exceed 5–10%, which is one reason many centers now favor lung‑sparing operations when possible.  

Lung‑Sparing Surgery Can Match or Outperform Lung Removal for Selected Patients  

Extended pleurectomy/decortication, which strips tumor and pleura while preserving both lungs, has shown survival outcomes comparable to or better than extrapleural pneumonectomy in several retrospective studies, with lower perioperative risk—shifting expert opinion toward lung‑sparing strategies for many mesothelioma patients. 

Expressive Writing About Emotions Can Improve Cancer Survivors’ Well‑Being  

Randomized studies of expressive writing show that when cancer survivors repeatedly write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to cancer, they can experience modest improvements in fatigue, sleep, and physical symptoms over several months, even if general mood does not dramatically change.

Turning Fears Into Words May Reduce Their Grip on the Brain  

Neuroscience experiments have found that putting emotional experiences into words—sometimes called “affect labeling”—is associated with reduced activation of the amygdala, a key fear center in the brain, and increased activity in prefrontal regions involved in regulation, suggesting that naming fears can help the brain modulate them. 

People Exposed at Home Can Develop Mesothelioma Without Industrial Jobs  

A significant subset of mesothelioma cases occur in people who never worked directly with asbestos but were exposed through “para‑occupational” routes, such as washing the dusty work clothes of a family member or living near asbestos‑using factories, highlighting that risk extends beyond traditional high‑exposure jobs.