CASE NO. 1

Heather’s doctor asked the questions – “was your dad a miner or did he work in construction of any kind.” Answer – yes. She was exposed to asbestos through the dust that permeated his clothing and his car. As a construction worker. Her father was involved in dry wall clean – up and demolition. Much of the dry-wall joint compound he worked on contained asbestos.

Most of the buildings he worked in doing demolition contained asbestos tiles in the floors and in the ceiling.

The insulation around pipes and boilers that he tore out had asbestos insulation.

He would come home from work many days covered in dust, a thick, greyish-white crust covering his work jacket. A jacket she would wear to do her outside chores. A jacket she would put on to go out to the rabbit hutch in the back shed to feed and play with her rabbits. A jacket she would wear because it didn’t matter if it got dirty.

This jacket had asbestos dust all over it. His car had the same dust in it. The dust was just part of her childhood. This dust caused her illness.

Heather survived but just barely after years of suffering from cancer related to asbestos exposure including radical surgery. Her “insides” were totally destroyed.

CASE NO. 2

At the age of 52, a mechanic died of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He had worked with automotive brake and clutch parts containing asbestos.

The workers’ compensation authority for the region where he lived had accepted his claim for asbestos-related illness.

His death is one of many linked to workplace asbestos exposure. Asbestos, a naturally-occurring fibrous mineral, has been widely used in products because of its insulating and fireproofing qualities. When disturbed, the material breaks into small fibers that become imbedded in the lungs, prompting cancerous growths. Chronic illnesses attributed to asbestos exposure are asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Delay between exposure and onset of the disease can be 20 to 40 years.