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Time to take action and fight asbestos

SARAH HALL
27 December 2005 - The relatives of people who died due to an asbestos-related respiratory disease have welcomed the first ever Action Day, which has been set up to help fight the illness.

Action Mesothelioma Day will take place on February 27 in a bid to tackle the growing number of people who develop a malignant tumour which grows inside the chest and abdomen.

The Evening News has reported on a number of deaths due to people working or coming into contact with poisonous asbestos. Mesothelioma is one of several types of respiratory disease which is a direct result of asbestos exposure.

It can develop over 40 years after the exposure and because of this long delay it is estimated cases will continue to rise until at least 2015.

The British Lung Foundation is launching the very first Action Mesothelioma Day to campaign for better care and treatment, improved protection for employees and more funding for research.

Doreen Mingay's husband Derek, 74, died last year after being exposed to asbestos after working in boiler rooms when he was a Naval Officer.

He died eight months after he was diagnosed with small cell cancer of the lungs.

Mrs Mingay, 70, from Alexandra Road has backed a campaign to win up to £1 billion in compensation for people with pleural plaques, a lung condition which could be an early warning of diseases like mesothelioma.

She said the Action day is “long overdue”.

“It makes me angry that so many people have died of the disease but still nothing is being done about it,” she said.

“An Action Day is long overdue and one of the things I would fight for the most would be more funding for more research and early testing.

“By the time Derek was diagnosed it was too late, he was full of asbestos. I think what should be introduced is compulsory testing for anyone who is exposed to asbestos.

“This should be done regularly so the disease can be stopped in time.

“I welcome an Action Day and am glad something is finally being done about this awful disease.”

Doreen Brown, 81, from Heigham Street, Norwich lost her daughter, Linda Pyke to mesothelioma in September 2003.

The 56-year-old used to work at Harmer's clothing factory in the city but her mother believes she came into contact with asbestos when she worked there between 1961 and 1968.

Linda Pyke of Derby Street worked at the factory in Mile Cross from when she left school at 15 to the age of 22.

The asbestos was thought to be in the lining of jackets made for firemen.

Mrs Brown said: “It broke my heart when my daughter died. I miss her so much. Anything that can be done to fight mesothelioma I welcome.

“I think families should be entitled to compensation. I don't need the money, I will give it to charity, but we should be given something.

“I am glad there is finally an Action Day and anything I can do to help I will. Something has got to be done.

Claims against companies for asbestos related illnesses are soaring. Godfrey Morgan whose Clarence Road based law firm is a leading specialist in asbestos cases said his firm had seen a rise of 50 per cent in the number of cases it was dealing with compared to last year.

Most claims his firm dealt with were from people exposed to asbestos in the 1940s to 1970s and there are difficulties getting hold of the companies involved.

The Evening News launched its Asbestos Action Campaign in 1997to outlaw the use of white asbestos after the death of Norwich factory worker Malcolm Gardiner.

To show your support for the Action Day log onto www.lunguk.org.

Have you been fighting an asbestos claim? Contact Naomi Canton on (01603) 772418.