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An Engineer’s StoryBenefit EntitlementsArmley: The UK’s Deadliest District (Part 2)
Macmillan Cancer Support Profile
In this issue...
Issue 2October 2014
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk0800 038 67672
Welcome to the latest issue of Asbestos Justice.This month we’ve brought you invaluable insights and advice from
industry professionals, heart-warming stories from families touched
by asbestos disease and a raft of useful information to support
our community.
If you would like to share your story with us, or contribute towards
our next issue of Justice, please email [email protected].
Thanks for reading and keep sharing!
Richard Clarke is now an asbestos campaigner having previously worked as General Manager for the National Asbestos Helpline.
Each month we’re featuring a Questions and Answers session from an asbestos industry professional.
I’ve recently been exposed to asbestos, what are my options now?
If you’re at all concerned there are two things to consider.
Firstly, make sure the source of exposure is sealed, contained or can be avoided. Your local environmental health department can offer further advice on safe removal or containment of asbestos.
Secondly, inform your GP. Asbestos
Contents2 Ask the Expert Richard Clarke answers
your questions
3 Pleural Thickening Social Media round-up
4 Benefit Entitlements Disability Living Allowance explained
5 An Engineer’s Story
6 Armley The UK’s Deadliest District - Part 2
7 Organisation profile: Macmillan Cancer Support
8 Clinical Trials
9 Consultant Profile Dr. Jeremy Steele A Family Story Linda Reinstein speaks out
10 Treatment Centres Where to find asbestos disease
treatment in the UK
Ask the Expertdisease can lay dormant for many decades therefore keeping a record of your exposure and regular check-ups are important.
I live in a UK “hotspot” for asbestos disease. What does this mean? Certain parts of the UK are worst affected by asbestos due to the nature of the industry in the surrounding area. It mainly affects workers coming into regular contact with asbestos or asbestos products used in trades such as shipbuilding or engineering.
I feel isolated following my diagnosis, where can I turn for help?
There are many support groups and charitable associations able to offer support. Social media has revolutionised national networks of support and is a first port of call for many.
Try reaching out to other people facing the same issues, it’s always useful to share your thoughts and feelings, plus your own experiences may in turn provide support and advice for others in a similar situation.
3
“Mr. James Cameron of Asbestos Justice
dealt with my case for asbestos related
pleural thickening. My former employer’s
solicitors tried to argue through obtaining
medical reports that my problems were
connected to other things rather than
the asbestos related condition. Asbestos
Justice had the relevant know how to
argue my case strongly.
Social Media Round-up
IATP Asbestos @IATP_Asbestos Working on the tools in the trades this week? Take 5 & Stay Alive. Don’t take #Asbestos home http://www.take5andstayalive.com/
Saatchi Bill @SaatchiBill Blog post: ‘Why I support the Saatchi Bill and why maybe you should too,’ by @childofmineCD http://ow.ly/BalD4
Hilda Palmer @HildaPalmer Govmt apptd Dr Richard Judge to ‘commercialise’ the HSE H&S watchdog.Hazards campaign says Don’t pimp our watchdog http://www.hazards.org/safetypimp/
Asbestos Justice
The Heath & Safety Executive have a wealth of useful information regarding Asbestos, it’s uses, containment and removal. Please Share http://www.hse.gov.uk/ASBESTOS/hiddenkiller/what-is-asbestos.htm
If you missed it, this well written, well researched ‘first person’ article was published by the Telegraph and tells the full tale of asbestos use http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/Asbestos-the-killer-that-surrounds-us/index.html
Making a successful claim for Pleural Thickening
I received just under £100,000.00 of compensation and am able to return for further compensation in the future as I agreed my settlement on a provisional basis. Asbestos Justice advised me on all aspects of my case thoroughly throughout and I cannot recommend them enough for anyone suffering with an asbestos related illness.” Mr T, Exmouth.
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk0800 038 67674
To assess your eligibility please contact Asbestos Justice on 0800 038 6767
BenefitEntitlementsThere are numerous state benefits which you may be able to claim if your asbestos related disease was caused whilst in employment. Our trained experts can assist you every step of the way. Call 0800 038 6767 for help & advice.
Disability Living AllowanceIf you are suffering with an asbestos related disease, you may be entitled to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
If your application is successful, you could be paid between £21.00 and £134.40 each week to help with the extra costs caused by your asbestos related disease. You may need to undergo an assessment through your local benefit agency to see if you are entitled to this benefit.
Am I eligible to claim DLA?
If you are aged under 65 and have experienced difficulties in walking or require help in looking after yourself for 3 months and expect to have them for at least 6 months, you may be entitled to claim for DLA.
What will I receive if my application is successful?
Successful applicants for DLA will receive varying amounts of money, made up from 2 component parts, called the “care component” and the “mobility component”.
Care Component
This part of the benefit can be paid to asbestos disease sufferers if they:-
• require assistance with day to day tasks such as eating and preparing meals, using the toilet, dressing, washing etc • are terminally ill • require supervision to avoid putting themselves and others in substantial danger
The lowest rate payable is £21.00 per week and this can be paid to sufferers who require some light assistance, perhaps with preparing cooked meals.
The middle rate payable is £53.00 per week and this can be paid to sufferers who require regular help and supervision
during the day or night.
The highest rate payable is £79.15 per week and this can be paid to a sufferer who requires help or supervision throughout the day or night or to those who have a terminal asbestos related illness such as mesothelioma.
Mobility Component
This part of the benefit can be paid to asbestos disease sufferers who, when using a normal aid:-
• are unable to walk
• can only walk short distances without suffering severe discomfort
• could become very ill if they try to walk
People may also receive the benefit if they:-
• have neither feet or legs
• are assessed as 100% blind and at least 80% deaf and require assistance outdoors
• require supervision when outdoors
• are certified as severely sight impaired
• are severely mentally impaired with behavioural problems and receive the highest rate of care for DLA
The lowest rate payable is £21.00 per week and can be paid to sufferers who require general supervision outdoors.
The highest rate payable is £55.25 and can be paid to sufferers who experience severe difficulties in walking.
All sums of benefits will be paid directly into your bank or building society account.
For further information on claiming DLA, please contact the benefits team at Asbestos Justice on 0800 038 6767.
An Engineer’s Story Mesothelioma
5
Concerned about asbestos exposure? Call our expert team on 0800 038 6767
We dealt with an urgent mesothelioma claim for a 92 year old gentleman called Mr. S who was diagnosed with mesothelioma during June of 2007.
Mr. S worked for Stein Atkinson Limited as a design engineer between 1944 and 1979. The company later traded under the name of Solios Thermal Limited.
His role within the company involved designing furnace equipment which would regularly have to be lined with asbestos materials in order to fireproof the furnaces. He was often nearby when the manual workers drilled and nailed the asbestos into place resulting in him coming into contact with asbestos dust on a regular basis. Whilst Mr. S never worked directly with asbestos, he was exposed on a passive basis which led to him developing mesothelioma during later life.
The case successfully settled during Mr. S’ lifetime, having been run over a 5 month period. The case was unusual as Mr. S survived with symptoms for over 3 years before sadly passing away due to the condition.
Photo by Asbestorama
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk0800 038 67676
into the school yard. I remember some of the kids getting hold of big chunks of it and wrapping it around their chins and pretending to be Santa Claus. No one told us how dangerous it was in those days”
The spine-chilling sense of reality wasn’t apparent for the innocent in those days. They played hand-in-hand with some of nature’s cruellest creations, released by the blind greed of man and manufactured by our own fathers. All were unaware of the evil disguised behind its fluffy exterior. A wolf in sheep’s clothing if you must.
Home to some 1500 residential houses and a population of 6,734 in the 1870s, Armley’s residents found themselves living next to what would be the biggest Mesothelioma threat in the UK.
The nearest school located to the factory was the Armley Board School (later to become Armley Council School) and referred to by the locals as “The Clock School”. The school was built in 1878 at a cost of £13,108 and its clock tower became a “local land mark.”
A former student recalls her memories of the asbestos at school:
“I went to Armley Clock School whose back school yard was only about 10 yards from the open door of Roberts. The dust would fly about and blow
Armley The UK’s Deadliest District(Part 2)
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk/armley-uks-deadliest-town/
The People of ArmleyPhoto by Urbandegeneration.com
Photo by Camera Shy
No one should face cancer alone.
So when you need someone to turn to, we’re here. Right from the moment you’re diagnosed, through your treatment and beyond, we’re a constant source of support, giving you the energy and inspiration to help you take back control of your life.As treatments improve, more and more people are living with cancer in their daily lives. This means they need more than medical help, they also need practical, emotional and financial support.
We are a source of support, helping with all the things that people affected by cancer want and need. It’s not only patients who live with cancer; we also help carers, families and communities.
We fund nurses and other specialist health care professionals and build cancer care centres. But we give so much more than medical help.
People need practical support at home, so we provide anything from some precious time off for a carer, to a lift to hospital. People need emotional support, so we listen, advise and share information through our cancer support specialists, website and trained professionals. People need financial help to cope with the extra costs cancer can bring, so we give benefits advice, and grants for anything from heating bills to travel costs. Together we listen, we learn, we act to help people live with cancer.
We are a force for change, listening to people affected by cancer and working together to improve cancer care. People who live with cancer are experts by experience. Together we use this knowledge to make a positive difference to the lives of people affected by cancer. This could be anything from getting a coffee machine installed in a waiting room, to bringing about changes in the law.
We fight discrimination – from challenging unfair travel costs and insurance policies to improving the national benefits system. Together we challenge the status quo, we push for change, we lead the way.
We believe we can all help. We can raise money – through marathons, coffee mornings, street collections, sponsored events.
We can give time – at cancer care centres, events, and fundraising groups.
We can share experiences – online, in the media, with each other. We are Macmillan.
Donate
To donate your bit to Macmillan visit http://www.macmillan.org.uk/donate.
You can also follow us on
7
We are a source of support
We are a force for change
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk0800 038 67678
Clinical Trials
This trial looks at a drug called ganetespib alongside standard chemotherapy for mesothelioma in the covering of the lungs. The trial is supported by Cancer Research UK.
In this trial, researchers want to see if they can improve the treatment of pleural mesothelioma by adding a drug called ganetespib.
Ganetespib is a type of biological therapy called a heat shock protein 90 inhibitor. It stops signals that cancer cells use to divide and grow.
The aims of this trial are to:
• Find the best dose of ganetespib to give alongside pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin
• See how well this combination of drugs works as treatment for pleural mesothelioma
Trial Design
This trial is in 2 stages. The first stage is a phase 1 trial. The researchers want find the best dose of ganetespib to give with pemetrexed and cisplatin or
carboplatin. To do this they will give the first 3 people a low dose of ganetespib with the usual doses of pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin. If they don’t have any problems, the next 3 people have a higher dose of ganetespib. And so on, until they find the best dose to give. This is called a dose escalation study.
The second stage is a phase 2 trial. It is randomised. The people taking part are put into treatment groups by a computer. Neither you nor your
This month we are featuring MESO 2. A trial of ganetespib with pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin for pleural mesothelioma.
doctor will be able to decide which group you are in.
• Group A have ganetespib, pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin
• Group B have pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin
You have ganetespib, pemetrexed, cisplatin and carboplatin as a drip into a vein. You have pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin once every 3 weeks and ganetespib twice every 3 weeks. Each 3 week period is called a cycle of treatment. You can have up to 6 cycles.
If you are in the group having ganetespib, after 4 cycles of treatment your doctor may talk to you about continuing with ganetespib only, if they feel you are benefiting from it.
The researchers will ask for blood samples and a sample of tissue from the biopsy you had to diagnose your mesothelioma. They will use these samples to find out more about mesothelioma and how to treat it. If you don’t want to give these samples for research, you don’t have to. You can still take part in the trial.
Trial Details
Recruitment: Start 21/08/2013 End 31/01/2015
Phase: Phase 1/2
Chief Investigator: Professor Dean Fennell
Full Credit: Cancer Research UK
9
Consultant Profile Dr Jeremy Steele MD MRCP
Grief is never-ending.
As I prepare to present at the XX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Frankfurt, Germany I am reminded of the human cost of inaction.
Since Alan was diagnosed in 2003, an estimated 100,000 Americans have died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases. Worse yet, in the past decade, the USA has imported more than 21,000 metric tons of asbestos, and imports still continue to pollute our country with this deadly substance.
While promising research continues, prevention remains the only cure. I dedicate my presentation “Progress and Challenges in Increasing Worker Safety and Mitigating Asbestos Exposure in the Americas” to Alan and the hundreds of thousands of other “Alans.”
Through our stories, we can turn our anger into action, and tell the true story about asbestos as we fight to end this deadly man-made disaster.
Together, change is possible.
Linda Reinstein, President/CEO and Co-Founder, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
He qualified in medicine at St George’s Hospital, London in 1989. After training in general medicine and intensive care, he moved to the Royal Marsden Hospital where he treated his first mesothelioma patient.
At the Institute of Cancer Research he undertook doctoral research into paediatric leukaemia and brain tumours. Jeremy moved to Bart’s in 1997 where he has worked closely with Robin Rudd ever since. In 2000
he was awarded the Royal Society of Medicine Sylvia Lawler Prize. Jeremy is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group and numerous other mesothelioma clinical and research groups in the UK and abroad.
Contact Dr Jeremy Steele Email: [email protected].
Credit: Mesothelioma.co.uk
Linda Reinstein (ADAO) talks...
Jeremy is Co-Director of Bart’s Mesothelioma Research. He is a Consultant in Medical Oncology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Royal London Hospital and the London Chest Hospital.
www.asbestosjustice.co.uk0800 038 676710
TreatmentCentresIf you have been diagnosed with an asbestos disease, finding the right help can be difficult.
We have compiled a list of some of the UK’s top treatment and trial centres for asbestos diseases. Many have been recognised for their survival success rates and pioneering treatments, so you’ll always be in safe hands.
London Hospitals
6. Guy’s Hospital
7. The Royal Marsden Hospital
8. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital
1. Christie Hospital NHS Trust
(Manchester)
2. Glenfield Hospital (Leicester)
3. Papworth Hospital (Cambridge)
4. Derriford Hospital (Devon)
5. Basingstoke and North Hampshire
Hospital (Basingstoke)
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2
4
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3
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1. Christie Hospital NHS Trust550 Wilmslow Road, Withington, ManchesterM20 4BX. Telephone: 0161 446 3000
The Christie Hospital NHS Trust is the largest single-site cancer treatment centre in Europe, and offers services including diagnosis, treatment and general care for cancer patients, as well as cancer education.
Website: www.christie.nhs.uk Email: [email protected]
3. Papworth HospitalPapworth Everard, Cambridge, CambridgeshireCB3 8RE. Telephone: 01480 830541
Papworth Hospital is the largest international specialist Cardiothoracic (heart and lung) hospital in the UK and includes the country’s main heart and lung transplant centre. Also provides a Mesothelioma support service.
Website: www.papworthhospital.nhs.uk Email: [email protected]
7. The Royal Marsden Hospital Fulham Road, London, Greater LondonSW3 6JJ. Telephone: 020 7352 8171
The Royal Marsden, together with its academic partner, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), is designated as the UK’s only National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) dedicated solely to cancer. Provides both trials and treatments.
Website: www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk Email: Contact form online
4. Derriford Hospital Derriford Rd, Plymouth, Devon PL6 8DHTelephone: 01752 202082
Derriford Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Plymouth. It is one of three hospitals approved to conduct Mesothelioma trials.
Website: www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk Email: Contact form online
5. Basingstoke and North Hampshire HospitalAldermaston Road, Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 9NA. Telephone: 01256 473 202
Centre for specialist treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma. Home to Consultant Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Faheez Mohamed and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (chemo bath).
Website: www.hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk Email: [email protected]
2. Glenfield HospitalGroby Road, Leicester, Leicestershire. LE3 9QPTelephone: 0116 287 1471
Respiratory and Cardiothoracic Centre, Mesothelioma Centre and home to Mesothelioma UK and Professor Dean Fennell. The specialist lung cancer centre has excellent lung cancer survival rates and an extremely active research programme.
Website: www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk
6. Guy’s HospitalSt. Thomas’ Street, London, Greater LondonSE1 9RT. Telephone: 020 7188 7188
Guy’s Hospital offers some of the top cancer specialists in the country, the very latest state-of-the-art facilities and pioneering treatments, thanks to their extensive research programmes.
Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk Email: [email protected]
8. St. Bartholomew’s HospitalWest Smithfield, London, Greater LondonEC1A 7BE. Telephone: 020 7377 7000
St. Bartholomew’s Hospital (Barts), is a leading, internationally renowned teaching hospital based in the City of London. It is the centre for Mesothelioma research (UK wide). Home to Dr. Rudd and Jeremy Steele (Chairman of Mesothelioma UK).
Website: www.bartshealth.nhs.uk Email: Contact form online
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