John McTaggart, a former councilman in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, and a well respected public figure, died of mesothelioma last month after narrowly losing a municipal election. Having been previously diagnosed with the cancer, McTaggart amazingly recovered and went on to lead a life of relative health for some years. He had a history of rich involvement in local politics, and had been a councilman for 20 years, a member of the Planning Commission, and a city founder. Earlier this year he decided to rerun for a seat on the council, having become interested once again in shaping the future of the California community. Unfortunately, just a week before the local elections he learned that his mesothelioma had returned.
McTaggart was a fervent politician known for his strong opinions and determination. During all his twenty years as a councilman, his attendance showed only a single absence – which was due to a brain surgery. He was politically active to the last, casting his vote in the election through what his family described as “excruciating pain.”
“He would not let my son help him in. He went in and voted on his own,” said his wife, Flo McTaggart.
John McTaggart was put into hospice care at his home in California directly after the discovery of the return of his mesothelioma. He died just a few days later, surrounded by his family.
Mesothelioma is one of a variety of asbestos related cancers. Asbestos fibers enter the body through inhalation or ingestion, and can become lodged in a protective tissue known as the mesothelium that surrounds all of our major organ systems. Once embedded in the mesothelium, asbestos fibers can cause internal scarring which can eventually lead to the development of malignant tumors.
Before his involvement in local politics, McTaggart had worked as both a plumber and an engineer where he most likely encountered the asbestos fibers that would eventually kill him.
Mesothelioma is known for its long latency, or the period of time that it takes for the disease to develop after exposure to the dangerous asbestos fibers. The disease can take anywhere from a few years to several decades to become easily diagnosable, which directly correlates to the recent rise of diagnoses considering that the peak of the asbestos industry was somewhere between the 1940’s and 1960’s.
