UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ASBESTOS
Asbestos once deemed a “miracle mineral” for its heat resistance and flexibility, has left a legacy of suffering.
Exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to diseases manifesting several decades after exposure.
Asbestos remains the most significant cause of work- related deaths in the UK and a damning indictment of corporate negligence over decades.
Helen Bone, our mesothelioma client
Helen's Story
Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. It is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. While there is no cure, treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery can help manage symptoms and improve life quality. Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, leading to scarring of lung tissues. Treatment is primarily focused on symptom management, including respiratory therapies and medications to thin lung secretions.
Helen Bone, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in August 2021 and started chemotherapy in September 2021.
"As a mother of two teenage daughters and a younger stepdaughter, this diagnosis has been devastating. You always think of asbestos as a disease from decades ago – affecting men who worked in heavy industry – so to be diagnosed in my 30s is shocking." Helen has set up her own blog called ‘It is what it is’ to document her journey following a mesothelioma diagnosis to help raise awareness of more young people and women like herself having an asbestos-related disease. Thompsons Solicitors is investigating whether asbestos was present at the school and college where she studied as a child or the hospital she worked as an advanced critical care practitioner.
Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer: Like lung cancer caused by smoking but triggered by asbestos exposure. Treatment often involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Scan the QR code on the right to visit Helen's blog: 'It is what it is'
Pleural Thickening: Thickening and calcification of the pleura (lining of the lungs and chest cavity) due to asbestos exposure. There is no specific treatment; management is focused on alleviating symptoms. Pleural Plaques: Small areas of thickened tissue in the lung lining or pleura caused by exposure to asbestos. A benign if still troubling diagnosis that does not usually require treatment.
Understanding The Impact Of Asbestos
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