Asbestos-related cancer
A Hartlepool woman has raised more than £2,000 for research into a devastating disease, which killed her dad.
Carole Orton, of Clavering, has raised £2,220 for the National Macmillan Mesothelioma Resource Centre.
Her dad, Harry Gray, died in November 2002, aged 68, after a six-month battle against mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos.
Exposed to asbestos at Work
The granddad of 15 became ill after being exposed to asbestos fibres throughout his working life as a lagger.
He first started the work at 14 and worked as a contractor lagging power stations and ships with asbestos.
Research into Mesothelioma
There is no known cure for mesothelioma but Carole hopes the money raised, through the charity Gala Night, will contribute towards much needed medical research into the disease.
She said: “There is no cure for mesothelioma and my dad did not receive any treatment to try to extend his life.
"We want to make people aware of this disease and to raise money for research to see if the experts can come up with a magic solution."
"I want to thank everyone who attended the event for their donations. I was amazed at the amount of support we received. I am now planning more fundraising events for the future."
Ian McFall, head of the asbestos team at Thompson Solicitors, supported the fundraising event.
He said: "Scores of men in the Teesside area are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year and the number can only increase due to the large number of shipyard employees who worked with asbestos."
"Carole’s fundraising will help important research to find the most effective way to treat mesothelioma patients now and in the future."
When Carole was planning the fundraising event we published a story about it on the website. To read this visit "Fundraising event for National Macmillan Mesothelioma Resource Centre".
Asbestos disease diagnosis? Talk to us for advice and support on how to secure compensation.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we can support you with advice on how to make a claim.
The process will be explained in plain English and with no obligation – our priority is to provide you with the best, expert advice on whether you have a valid case for compensation, and to signpost you to further sources of support.
There are strict time limits applied to making a claim – usually three years from the date of diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if the exposure to asbestos took place – as it often does – decades ago, the three year time limit applies to the date of knowledge of diagnosis or date of death.
For further information, visit our How to Make A Compensation Claim page.