The devastation caused by mesothelioma has no boundaries -. Political, geographical or linguistic
After the publication of my book, 'Lean on Me' in 04, I was invited to speak at the World Congress asbestos in Tokyo, Japan. Over 800 delegates, including widows and widowers, 40 countries attended the meeting in their fight against mesothelioma and asbestos.
I had the pleasure to meet two Japanese women who lost their husbands for mesothelioma. After an interpreter introduced us, we kissed. There was no translation needed most. This embrace expressed understanding and compassion for all the pain and suffering that we have endured. We all felt very comfortable in this area.
But comfort was not the emotion we felt when this devastating cancer stole our relatives. It was anger.
Dealing with anger after the death of my husband
During the two years I took care of my husband Brian as he struggled against mesothelioma, I felt angry About his pain and suffering, and the constant expectation of death. When he passed, the anger grew. I was widowed at the age of 51, mesothelioma stole my partner and I spend the rest of my life lacks.
Twelve years have passed since Brian died. As I spend my life in this journey of healing, I let go of most of my anger. I say most because some of that anger will forever be directed to those responsible for killing my husband.
The illness and death of Brian was not caused because he neglected his health, or whether he was smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. It was not caused by a gene family. His fate was sealed from the moment he and his family moved to the mining town of Wittenoom asbestos.
My anger on his tragic loss of life is enhanced by the fact that those directly responsible for his death never uttered the words "I'm sorry."
I will never forget my anxiety a few days after the diagnosis of Brian when we found we present our case in a number of these people to mediation. Not one of them showed us compassion. in fact, I felt that we were inconveniencing and they wanted to make us disappear.
Still reeling from three to nine months of Brian prognosis, total disregard for our feelings was beyond my comprehension.
it was determined during the mediation session to Brian that the mining company of asbestos in Wittenoom can not be held responsible for his death because he did not know the dangers of toxic mineral and its related diseases in 1954 ?? the year my husband was exposed to asbestos.
No mining company of asbestos may plead such ignorance today. Although the deadly nature of asbestos is now well known, the mining companies of asbestos are still booming in countries worldwide.
Asbestos Mines are not the only culprits
Even in countries like Australia, where mining of asbestos is banned, asbestos is everywhere, and the risk exposure to asbestos dust is a constant and ever-present danger to us all.
media coverage of stories related to asbestos has helped the public understand the toxicity of this mineral. It is common knowledge that many houses and hangars in backyards contain asbestos. But there are still people who rip these potentially dangerous structures themselves, rather than contacting the asbestos removal companies.
Because of their negligence ,, deadly microscopic asbestos fibers are sent into the air, immediately life- risk, and those of their families, their neighbors and others in the vicinity.
More people need to be angry about asbestos
Feeling anger after a relative died of asbestos-related disease is natural, but our anger not be enough to stop the cycle of disease and death related to asbestos.
men and women worldwide are diagnosed with mesothelioma in a scale of increasing and this tragic cycle of asbestos dust inhalation and death will continue for many years to come .
asbestos is still used by companies in a number of countries whose makers are fully aware of the consequences, but they continue to put monetary gain over the value of human life. If we are always rid the world of this horror, everyone needs to be angry about asbestos now.
Be angry if someone in your neighborhood or intends to pull down all asbestos structures themselves. Please let them know the dangers it can cause them and us.
Be angry if your municipality is to allow the deterioration of buildings containing asbestos to stand in your community.
Be angry if a company or individual to put yourself and your loved ones at risk through damaged asbestos sheeting or products containing asbestos or dumping of waste containing asbestos on your street or your waste site.
When finished being angry, do something about it.
anger is not a dirty word when it comes to asbestos and mesothelioma, and if we direct our anger the right way, it can help us to change a situation which is detrimental to us and others.
