CHARITY DAY
Saturday 20th September 2008
Golf Tournament at Horam Park Golf Club
10.30 am Tee off • 18 Holes plus lunch - £26.00
Afterwards At Eastbourne United Football Club Auction Raffle Buffet & Disco
All proceeds to Bob Tolley Mesothelioma Snowdrop Fund For Mesothelioma Research Charity No 326730
Anyone wishing to donate auction, raffle prizes or money to the fund please click here to contact us Bob Tolley Fund
Supporting:
Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund The British Lung Foundation
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- Background -
Family wins High Court judgment for Mesothelioma Death
The family of Bob Tolley who passed away from mesothelioma in September 2006 were successfully awarded compensation against Mr Tolley’s previous employer, Humphreys & Glasgow Ltd. A judgment was issued in the High Court on Thursday 12th June, for asbestos exposure which led to mesothelioma.
This turned out to be double edged sword for the family, who although awarded compensation may not receive any of it due to the Employment Liability trigger issue being heard in the High Court at the moment with six test cases going before Mr Justice Burton. The case hinges on the wording of Employers’ Liability Policies. Insurers are arguing that the policies sold to employers insure against liability for workers becoming ill or injured due to their work, are triggered by the development of the disease rather than the exposure to asbestos. At what point does the disease begin to "exist", at the time of exposure, when it begins to develop or when symptoms actually appear?.
Often the time lapses between exposure to the deadly dust and the development of mesothelioma can be 40 years or more, so many employers have ceased trading or gone into liquidation.
Bob's wife Betty who attended the court with her solicitor, Carolann Hepworth of John Pickering & Partners, said after the judgment was awarded: "I am relieved that someone had finally taken responsibility for what happened to my husband, it has never been about the money for me or my family, how do you put a price on someone's life?
Bob was always very fit and healthy and only just 67 when he died, he did not deserve this disease and I find it very unfair he was exposed to asbestos whilst just going about his normal working life due to someone else's negligence. Ignorance is no defence for putting employees in any kind of danger at work".
The family continue to raise funds for mesothelioma research. A charity event is being organised on Saturday 20th September comprising of a golf tournament in the day and an evening auction raffle buffet and disco at Eastbourne United football club Channelview Road. Last years event raised £1403.00 for research, this year the family hope to raise even more money. There is also a website Bob Tolley Fund set up in memory of Bob, in conjunction with Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Snowdrop Fund & The British Lung Foundation.
If you need advice about an asbestos related illness contact any of the asbestos support groups, or John Pickering & Partners for information about making a claim for compensation.
FREEPHONE: 0800 854201
Website: www.johnpickering.co.uk
Mesothelioma Advice
Carol Ann Hepworth
Old Exchange Buildings
St Ann's Passage
29/31 King Street
Manchester, M2 6BE
Email: ch@johnpickering.co.uk
Tel: (0161) 834 1251
Fax: 0161 834 1505
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Cancer Epidemic set to Claim 200,000 Lives
Professor Julian Peto, Cancer Research UK chairman of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said around 90,000 people would die from mesothelioma and a further 90,000 from asbestos-related lung cancer.
Professor Peto said those exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 70s were now suffering an epidemic of mesothelioma which will peak in less than 10 years. He estimated that 90,000 people will die from this particular form of cancer and revealed that 30,000 had already done so.
"Mesothelioma is on a completely different scale from any other industrial cancer disease in the world," he said. "The highest risk group of all is carpenters. One in 10 of all carpenters in Britain of that generation could be affected.
Mesothelioma has already killed twice as many people as cervical cancer. Instead of young women, those affected are elderly working class men."
Mesothelioma, which is a relatively unknown form of cancer, is hard to diagnose and there is no cure - only palliative treatment. Professor Peto said there was significant evidence that women and children who lived with men exposed to asbestos in the 1960’s had a chance of contracting the disease.
He said the dangers of exposure to asbestos had been known since the 1930’s: "Historically, it is incomprehensible that this has happened. That Britain should have made this extraordinary industrial error seems hard to understand."
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