Mesothelioma Survivor Continues to Explore the Outdoors

Canadians can appreciate a guy like Bob Oberstar, an outdoorsman from upstate Wisconsin who has refused to let mesothelioma cancer lock him inside for very long.

Oberstar, 71, has defied the odds and survived seven years with a typically aggressive cancer that has beaten him up, but not beaten him down.

In his world, there still are fish to catch, wild turkey to hunt, grass to cut and a garden to plant, leaving little time to contemplate the reality of a cancer with no cure.

Mesothelioma is the cancer caused almost exclusively from exposure to toxic asbestos fibers, which are unknowingly inhaled or ingested, moving into the thin lining around the lungs or other vital organs, where they eventually cause the havoc.

His exposure likely came during his short time in the Navy, where he worked as a machinist mate, working with valves, gaskets and insulation material, all of which contained asbestos. He also spent summers during his college years working in an iron-ore mine.

Shortly after retiring from a career as school teacher, he was stunned by his diagnosis of mesothelioma, which has such a lengthy latency period (20 to 50 years between asbestos exposure to obvious symptoms). He opted for an aggressive surgery to remove the diseased lining around his lungs.

He decided against follow-up chemotherapy and radiation, having witnessed the debilitating side effects on a cousin with a different cancer who failed to respond to the treatments.

"I wasn't going to give up what I loved doing to go through chemotherapy," he said. "The diagnosis was frightening at first, but I have never given in, never conceded anything. I've enjoyed life. I've had a good ride, and it's not over yet."

Oberstar, who previously faced prostate cancer, dramatically altered his diet to strengthen his own immune system, slowing down the cancer growth. He stays as active as he possibly can. His garage still is filled with tools that keep him outdoors. He has this fall's hunting trip already planned. He can't do everything he once did, but he can do enough of the things he loves.

He has been luckier than most who were stricken by mesothelioma. Canadians like Bill Coulbeck, who died less than a year after his diagnosis, left behind two feisty daughters who have fought the asbestos industry in Ontario. Leah Neilson and Stacy Cattron, both married with families of their own now, have carried his memory across Canada, raising awareness of this dreadful disease.

"I'm one of the lucky ones," Oberstar said. "We all have bad days, but I tell people to try and stay positive. Try and keep doing what you love."

Bio:  An award winning reporter and writer, Tim Povtak is a senior content writer for the Mesothelioma Center. He previously worked at the Orlando Sentinel and then at AOL.