Latest figures from Cancer Research UK show that, while men account for most cases of Mesothelioma, cases among women rose by 93 per cent between 1993 and 2018 (compared with 47 per cent in men).
Dean Fennell, professor of thoracic medical oncology at the University of Leicester, says, “The proportion of women being diagnosed with Mesothelioma has never been higher. Given the disease can take decades to develop, this rise seems to coincide with when more women joined the workforce from the 1950s onwards”.
Roughly 2,700 people are diagnosed with Mesothelioma every year and asbestos exposure seems to be the main cause.
Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. Breathing in asbestos fibres can damages your lungs and their lining causing symptoms such as breathlessness, shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing. Asbestos-related diseases usually take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything.
Liz Darlison from the charity Mesothelioma UK, states “Mesothelioma is a devastating and hard-to-treat disease with people often diagnosed at a late stage and typically facing a poor prognosis”.
Something similar seems to have happened to Susan Ellis, 78 from Pershore, Worcestershire.
In 1968, Susan joined a leading architecture firm in Birmingham, as a personal assistant, at the age of 23. Shortly some time afterwards, Susan attended a site visit with her boss to a new shopping centre he designed in Liverpool. She made a number of trips to the Liverpool site whilst she worked for the company for over a year.
In 2018, around 50 years later, Susan was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, when she found herself getting out of breath whilst walking up the stairs at home. Susan says this was unusual as she had kept herself in good shape and never had any lung problems.
Mesothelioma is a deadly form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Investigations showed that during those short site visits, asbestos was being sprayed on the ceilings.
Susan says the diagnosis was quite a shock. Susan underwent various tests with her GP and hospitals and was told she had a collapsed lung and fluid in the chest cavity which needed to be drained.
During the fluid draining, Susan was left devastated when the surgeon told her that she was suffering with Mesothelioma and that the average life expectancy for someone with this condition was 15 months.
Since her diagnosis, Susan has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy and recently in 2022, radiotherapy to reduce pain. It has been 5 years since Susan was diagnosed, thus exceeding the average life expectancy.
Susan says, “I am still functioning… I find standing quite difficult and even the slightest movement has an effect on my breath. I think I am in the last year now and I’ve taken the positive decision not to have more treatment, even though I was offered more chemotherapy and to go on a clinical trial. The benefits, if any, are small and I want to focus on quality of life”.
Investigations carried out by Susan’s solicitors showed certainty that it was the site visits in Liverpool which had caused Susan’s mesothelioma condition. In 2021, Susan received a pay out from the Government’s Mesothelioma compensation scheme.
Susan believes that “research into Mesothelioma lags behind many other cancers. We need to put more money into it to find a cure for this disease, not just pay out compensation to those who develop it.”
Susan says “‘I want people to be aware that Mesothelioma is not just an industrial disease, linked to the building sector, it affects normal people like me who never realised they were putting themselves at risk. And it is still present in a huge number of hospitals, schools, and other public buildings it is still present in a huge number of hospitals, schools, and other public buildings.
“One woman I know developed it after going into a cellar at school to pick up some files, another from washing overalls belonging to her husband, a builder. He didn’t get mesothelioma, but she did”.
If you or anyone you know has been exposed to asbestos many years ago and are experiencing the symptoms listed above, then you might be able to make a claim for compensation. We urge you to discuss your complaints and symptoms with your GP and seek advice from legal professionals.
If you feel your injuries have been caused as a result of your work and wish to enquire about a potential claim for compensation, please contact us.
Useful resources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mesothelioma/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11592963/How-cases-deadly-asbestos-cancer-rising-women.html?ito=email_share_article-top
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/mesothelioma#heading-Zero
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/mesothelioma/about
https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/
Harmful substances (hse.gov.uk)
Further reading
Respiratory disease claims – Oakwood Solicitors
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Asimah Ali is currently a Solicitor in the Industrial Disease Department.
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