Career
Von Saint James serves as a mesothelioma research funding advocate and conference speaker for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Von Saint James was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in 2005 at the age of 36. In February of 2006, Von Saint James underwent extensive thoracic surgery, known as extrapleural pneumonectomy, with adjuvant intra-operative heated chemotherapy under the care of thoracic surgeon Doctor David J. Sugarbaker at the Brigham and Women"s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
She was declared cancer-free later that year.
Von Saint James’ recovery from the disease is clinically unique because malignant mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer typically diagnosed in older patients that, even with treatment, has a 6 to 9 month median survival rate. Mesothelioma, commonly caused by exposure to asbestos, typically only manifests after a 25-30-year latency period following exposure.
