Mesothelioma Memes Are Not A Joke

Every now and then when I scroll down my Twitter feed, I see some memes that make fun of the commercials that advertise to people who have mesothelioma and need a lawyer to obtain the money they deserve. Here are a few examples:

For those of you that don't know, according to mesothelioma.com, " Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart." Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos, and there is no cure for it. For people who were unaware of their exposure to asbestos, such as on the job or a product in their home, are entitled to financial compensation. There have been commercials by law firms like Weitz & Luxenberg and Sokolove Law in order to advertise their services to patients, and the most common phrase used in these commercials is "Attention: If you or your loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma you may be entitled to financial compensation." My question is, why is this so funny? Why are trolls online making fun of a commercial to help those who are dying or the families of those already dead of this awful cancer?

This is utterly disrespectful to those who have been affected by mesothelioma as well as their families. If your mom, dad, grandma or grandpa had this cancer, you wouldn't be making fun of it, because they too would be seeking help to rightfully obtain their money. The phrase may be repetitive on television, but that doesn't make it funny. People on the internet will take anything, no matter how hurtful, and turn it into a joke, and it's unfair to those who are being affected.

I personally am affected by these memes whenever I see them. They truly make me want to cry, report the tweet and reply to everyone commenting "LOL!!!" on them. My grandpa died almost 5 years ago from mesothelioma, and it was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with in my life. My grandpa worked hard as an insulator and got cancer from doing his job. That's more dedication than any of these internet trolls will ever put into anything in their lifetime. He was the most hardworking, dedicated and caring man I knew.

Seeing these memes on Twitter truly breaks my heart, and I wish they'd just go away. I'm sick of them. Nobody on Twitter tries to stop them, they just egg them on. I'll admit that it affects and angers me more since I have had a loved one who has passed away from mesothelioma, but other people should see what kind of a messed up joke these memes are and try to put a stop to them.