Roger G. Worthington

Roger Worthington believes in giving back. Worthington has donated over $1 million directly to medical research on the early detection, prevention, treatment and cure of asbestos-related mesothelioma. Most of the latter amount has been donated to the cancer research foundation he helped found, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Inc. (MARF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to eradicate mesothelioma as a life ending disease.  More important than dollars, he has donated thousands of hours to the foundation, which has funded over $2.3 million in research grants through a competitive peer-review process.

In 2005, MARF awarded Roger the Congressman Bruce Vento "Hope Builder" Award in recognition of his efforts to persuade industry, the drug companies, trial lawyers, and the federal government to fund therapy-focused mesothelioma research. Roger dedicated the award to his dad, “Punch” Worthington who has asbestosis and lung cancer.

In addition, Worthington has raised over $200,000 for the Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI), another 501(c)(3) non profit research foundation. PHLBI’s mission is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through independent research, collaboration, and education.  The foundation is located in Los Angeles, California. Through PHLBI, Worthington has funded the creation of the Punch Worthington Research Laboratory, which is located at the UCLA Medical School in Los Angeles. Click here for a printable brochure. (PDF)

Worthington believes in educating our children about the importance of protecting the environment which sustains all life. In 2002, he and his wife/partner Ann endowed a professorship for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Texas in Austin.  The course will  introduce students to the key concepts of genetics, evolution, and ecology so they will have a better comprehension of the interplay between the population, pollution and natural and man-made ecosystems.

To honor his college mentor, Biology Professor Larry Gilbert, Worthington also provides financial support for Dr. Gilbert' s field research on non-chemical methods for controlling the imported fire ant at the U.T. Brackenridge Field Laboratory in Austin, Texas.

Biography: Phi Beta Kappa. Author: "Probing the Constitutionality of the Texas Solid Waste Inspection Scheme," 17 State Bar of Texas Environmental Law Journal 61, 1987; "Liability of Officers, Directors and Partners for Violations of Environmental Statutes," Advising Officers, Directors and Partners of Troubled Businesses, State Bar of Texas, February, 1987; "SV40, Asbestos and Mesothelioma: Hot Potato, Red Herring or Silver Bullet?" Asbestos, Harris Martin Publishing, Premier Issue, 2000; "Time Ripe for Government Funded Effort at Mesothelioma Cure," Asbestos, Harris Martin Publishing, January 2003. Founder, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Inc., (501 (c) (3) non-profit), 2000. Congressman Bruce Vento "Hope Builder" Award, MARF, 2006, Founder, Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.

Ann Worthington

Ann Worthington is a former University of Texas swimmer. During her swimming years, the Longhorns won 3 National Championship titles, and Ann was a member of the U.S. National Team. She won a gold medal at the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, and recently won 4 gold medals at the 2005 World Masters Games in Edmonton, Canada.

Ann is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California.

The Worthingtons proudly sponsor the Children's Theater at the Ocean Institute, a marine research and education facility.  The Ocean Institute aims to prepare today's children to be tomorrow's ocean stewards, and provides opportunities for teachers to bring the oceans into their classrooms.   The Worthingtons also fund the Worthington Essay Prize within the Plan II Honors Program of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas. Since 1998, two scholarships have been awarded annually to the top two prize winners. The topics, written by the Worthingtons, encourage students to apply the ethical theories they learn behind the Ivory Towers to real-world socio-economic, legal, and environmental problems.

John M. Caron

John M. Caron has been representing clients in toxic tort, products liability and professional liability matters since 1987.  He prides himself on providing aggressive yet compassionate representation for cancer victims and their families.  John has experienced great success as a trial attorney, having amassed numerous jury verdicts in favor of his clients in State and Federal Courts.

John graduated with honors from Indiana University in 1984, completing his undergraduate curriculum in three years.  After achieving success in the corporate world, John attended Southwestern University School of Law’s accelerated S.C.A.L.E. program where he was invited and served as an editor for the School’s Law Review.  He completed his law school curriculum in two years and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1987.

John is devoted to the cause of raising funds and awareness to find a cure for industrial-related cancers.  He serves as an officer for the Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI), whose mission is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest and blood diseases through independent research, collaboration, and education.  The foundation is located in Los Angeles, California.

John’s long-standing relationship with Roger Worthington is battle-tested.  Before joining forces with Roger Worthington in the fight for cancer victims and their families, John and Roger inflicted lung busting and leg breaking pain on erstwhile competition as teammates on Roger’s Labor Power Cycling Team.