Shocking rise in asbestos cancer

Exposed asbestos in the Spodden Valley

There has been an increase in deaths due to cancer caused by asbestos in Greater Manchester. Mesothelioma, which is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos is a fatal cancer of the pleura, the membrane surrounding the lung.

Over the last five years, there has been a 55% increase of mesothelioma diagnosis in Grater Manchester with 138 people being diagnosed in 2012. Approximately 50,000 people have died from mesothelioma to date and it is expected that another 40,000 will have died from the cancer by 2050.

Action Mesothelioma Day takes place on Friday 5 July in memory of all those who have died from mesothelioma. Held in Manchester’s Lincoln Square, at 12:30pm, doves will be released by families affected by mesothelioma and then at 1pm, the group will be involved in a public discussion held at Manchester Town Hall about protecting workers from asbestos. Rochdale MP Simon Dancjuk will also be attending the event to address mesothelioma sufferers and their families.

Greater Manchester was the home of large industries involved in the production and use of asbestos: The Turner & Newall factory in Rochdale produced vast quantities of asbestos products.

Graham Dring Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group (GMAVSG) co-ordinator says: “This shocking increase in mesothelioma diagnoses in Greater Manchester is testimony to the long history of asbestos use in our area and the terrible consequences of that history. It is a truly awful increase in this fatal cancer.”

Annually, there are more deaths in the UK due to mesothelioma (2,347 in 2010) than deaths caused by road accidents (1,754 in 2012) and annually, there are more than twice the number of asbestos-related deaths in the UK than deaths caused by road accidents.

Jason Addy, co-ordinator of the Save Spodden Valley Campaign said: “As the birthplace of the world's modern asbestos textile industry, the Turner Brothers asbestos site has a place in infamy. The facts that have emerged about the company and those who helped cover up disgraceful injustices show that asbestos remains an important issue for our town. On Action Mesothelioma Day we "remember the dead but fight for the living.”

The Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group can be contacted on
0161 636 7555 or 07887871501 for any information or support you feel you need or to discuss any of the matters addressed above.