Action Mesothelioma Day Friday 1st July 2011
Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund. 11.00 am Memorial Service at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne. Followed by sponsored dove release. 12noon Light refreshments 1.00pm Public Mesothelioma Seminar: “Asbestos in Schools” Speaker: Michael Lees. To register for seminar, please click here.
Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group. Action Mesothelioma Day event in Manchester on Friday 1st July: 12.30 am Release of Doves in Lincoln Square (Brazennose St. opposite Manchester Town Hall) Manchester. 1.00pm Public Meeting Manchester Town Hall “Asbestos Protection Crisis”. Speakers: Dr. Linda Waldman and John Shiers
Other News
15th April Quebec Government agrees in principle to fund the expansion of the Jeffrey asbestos mine The government of Quebec has decided to ignore the pleas of human rights advocates, hundreds of public health experts worldwide and one of the province’s largest unions and says it will fund the expansion of Canada’s last asbestos mine.
20th April Scottish and Northern Ireland Pleural Plaques cases to go to the Supreme Court: The Scottish Court of Sessions has upheld the Scottish Parliament’s right to enact legislation to pay pleural plaques sufferers. However, the case is to be appealed by the insurers to the Supreme Court. The Northern Ireland Attorney General has referred the Assembly’s legislation to pay pleural plaques sufferers to the Supreme Court
Easy Fundraising, Facebook, and Twitter
Please show your support by registering at Easy Fundraising.org.uk!
It’s a free service that allows you to raise funds for your selected charity while you shop online – Click here for more information.
You can also show your support by joining the MKMRF Facebook group, as well as following the MKMRF Twitter feed for updates!
Supreme Court rules out asbestos exposure threshold for mesothelioma
In a landmark decision today, 9th March, involving the deaths of mesothelioma sufferers Diane Wilmore, exposed to asbestos at school, and Enid Costello, exposed to asbestos in a factory, the Supreme Court has handed down a judgment that low levels of exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma.
Both Diane Wilmore and Enid Costello won their cases in the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Both these decisions were appealed by employers who sought to establish a threshold of exposure which could rule out hundreds of potential claims for mesothelioma where there was low level exposure to asbestos. But, The Supreme Court has ruled that the current test that only requires a material contribution to the risk of developing mesothelioma should stand in such cases.
This case is just one of a long series of cases brought by insurers and employers seeking to deny their liability to pay compensation despite the fact that claimants were negligently exposed to asbestos and later developed the fatal disease, mesothelioma. Diane Wilmore fought her case despite failing health, dying just a day after she heard that the Appeal Court had upheld the High Court judgment.
Tony Whitston, Forum Chair, says:
“This case involved the wrongful exposure of two people to asbestos, which caused their deaths. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos. Arguments for a ‘safe’ threshold are everything to do with denying liability for compensation and nothing to do with protecting people. This case not only protects compensation for those who have been negligently exposed to low levels of asbestos, but also gives a warning to those who think that workplaces such as schools, which are heavily contaminated with asbestos, are low risk.”
For further information tel. the Forum: 07748189837 or 0161 636 7555
The mOObs and New Found Paradise Friday 25th March 2010
In Aid of Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund
The mOObs
One of the most in demand bands in the North.Covering the best tracks from today’s charts featuring, The Killers, kKng of Leon, and Snow Patrol. Also features the likes of The Jam, The Stranglers and The Police.
Also Featuring
NEW FOUND PARADISE
This young Rock band has been quoted as one of the best young rock/metal rock bands of their generation. Finalists in the 2010 Pride of South Tyneside, covers include Guns and Roses, Skid Row, Metallica and Bonjovi
at
THE MILE
Mile End Road, South Shields
on
Friday 25th March 2011
Tickets £5.00
For tickets or more information please contact Chris, telephone 0191 2637386 or Email c.knighton@mkmrf.org.uk or Anne, 0191 4838255
.
9th Anniversary Glitter Ball 14th May 2011
THANKS A MILLION!
9th ANNIVERSARY “GLITTER BALL”
Over 250 guests joined us in the Chandelier Suite of The Assembly Rooms in Newcastle for our annual Glitter Ball.
This year was extra special as we were celebrating not only the Research Fund’s 9th anniversary, but also reaching a staggering £1million pounds for research into mesothelioma.
Many of our donations are given by people who themselves have been affected by mesothelioma and we are grateful to them and to everyone who has supported us along the way.The Research Fund is run entirely voluntarily, therefore every penny raised goes towards our aims.
MKMRF have helped fund four research studies, the first into Alimta the only licensed drug that may give mesothelioma sufferes a better quiality of life for longer. Two into treating mesothelioma by stem cells, which although in the earlier stages results are postive.
Our latest study, in conjunction with the MRC is looking into starving the mesothelioma cells of the nutrients they need to survive.
PICTURES OF THE GLITTER BALL CAN BE FOUND ON FUNRAISING PAGES .
Pictures can be ordered from Carve Photography hello@carvephotography.co.uk
Canada House Protest
Support Asian delegation’s demand
Say No to Quebec Jeffrey Asbestos Mine!
PICTURES BY MICK HOLDER
A protest was held outside Canada House, London, and in many other capital cities, on the 9th December, to coincide with an Asian delegation to Quebec to protest at the planned expansion of the Quebec Jeffrey asbestos mine.
The Quebec government are considering giving a loan guarantee of $58 million to expand the Jeffrey asbestos mine. This could mean the export of 5 million tonnes tons of asbestos over 25 years to developing countries.
Join the protest!
Support the Asian delegation!
Say NO to the Canadian trade in asbestos death!
The MKMRF, along with the Asbestos Victims Forum have appealed to the Premier of Quebec, imploring him not to provide funding for an extension to the Jeffrey mine. The proposed $58 million loan could be used to provide good, clean, safe jobs for Quebec mine workers in industries with a future benifitting both their economy and its workers.
What a disaster it would be for hundreds and thousands of people exposed to a carcinogen banned throughout the developed world and, overall in some fifty countries.
Premier Charest has an opportunity to lead the world in ending the use of asbestos and to bring honour to the people of Quebec. We hope this campaign will help him do so.
Asbestos victims face compensation uncertainty
A Court of Appeal decision today leaves dying people and their families unsure whether they will be entitled to compensation after insurance companies were partly successful in a test case about who picks up the bill in claims for the fatal asbestos illness, mesothelioma.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the High Court was wrong when it decided, in 2008, that the insurers who should pay are those who provided cover to the employer at the time of the asbestos exposure.
The Court of Appeal has decided that in some cases the employers’ liability insurance is “triggered” not by the exposure to asbestos but by the development of the disease which is always decades later, by which time there is no insurance in place to respond to the claim. The outcome means that in every case the exact words used in the insurance contract will have to be studied and could leave many victims with no compensation.
The original nine-week court battle in the summer of 2008 examined a number of cases where the insurers refused to pay out. They included Charles O’Farrell’s case. Charles was a retired member of Unite the Union who died in 2003 having been exposed to asbestos while working as a steel erector from 1964 to 1967 for Humphreys & Glasgow Limited who were insured at the time by Excess Insurance Company Limited. The employer ceased trading in 1992.
Excess Insurance argued that they were not liable to pay out because, according to the wording of their policy, employees had to “sustain injury” at the time they were working for the employer. The Court of Appeal decided that Charles did not “sustain injury” until he developed mesothelioma many years later.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said: ” This is the ultimate insult for people suffering, or who have watched a loved one suffer, a painful and degrading death from industrial disease. Insurers banking premiums and then escaping paying out compensation by relying on policy small print is obscene.
“Asbestos victims now face more uncertainty which is the last thing they need. Unite will continue the legal and political fight to achieve justice for our members and all victims of asbestos.”
“At a time when the government is seeking to save money this decision will prevent the DWP being able to recoup state funded benefits from insurers, which will inevitably lead to more pressure on public funds.”
Head of Asbestos Policy at Thompsons Solicitors, Ian McFall said: “Insurance companies sold policies to cover risk. Now that risk has become reality they have resorted to picking apart the words in their own policies. This decision means some insurers are required to pay while others are not, depending on words such as “injury sustained” or “disease contracted” used in insurance contracts written decades ago.
“Try explaining that logic to people diagnosed with fatal illness caused by the negligence of their employers. This leaves a black hole in the protection that employers’ liability insurance was intended to provide.”
Charles’ daughter, Maureen Edwards said: “My dad died a painful death from mesothelioma. Watching him suffer was agonising for all of his family. His employer’s insurers forced this fight to avoid paying out compensation he had already been awarded. The insurers’ attitude is difficult for us to understand.”
“My dad would have been disgusted by the lengths the insurers have gone to, to get out of paying.”
Research into Asbestos Related Disease
The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) is presently reviewing current mesothelioma research and will advise on capacity, infrastructure and important research questions by the end of summer 2010
The NCRI have invited views from patients and patient groups, as well as Health professionals, scientists and all relevant areas. In view of the short time the NCRI have for this work they would be grateful if your response goes directly to: meso@ncri.org.uk
The British Lung Foundation are organising a workshop on Mesothelioma and asbestos related disease on November 23rd 2010 at the Wellcome Trust, Euston Road London.
The event is sponsored by the Department of Health, the National Institute for Human Resources (NIHR) and the British Thoracic Society. It will be advertised through the Academy of Medical Sciences and the scientific research community.
