Mesothelioma is a word we had never heard of before, but it changed our lives completely. We both lost our husbands to this awful disease in 2014.
Sheila lives in the apartment above me and lost her husband eight months before my husband died. We got chatting at a few of the social gatherings where we live and Sheila mentioned that she went to The Butterfly Group. It’s a bereavement support group that is run by volunteers belonging to Asbestos Support Central England. It also campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers posed by asbestos.
I was nervous but I needn’t have worried
I felt the Group wasn’t for me, but a few months later I decided to give it a try. I was very nervous at the first meeting. I was worried that I might get upset. How wrong I was!
Everyone has a story to tell and we can all relate to the journey that each person has been on. We have lots of laughs and we have made new friends. We have speakers, trips and a Christmas meal. Sometimes we just have a good natter over a coffee and cake.
Come and join us
Through the Butterfly Group Sheila and I have become good friends and we will continue to support its work. If you have lost your partner to an asbestos related disease, why not join us?
Chris Harper & Sheila Siggerson
Picture © Neil Bishop
To find out more about the Butterfly Group, contact Neil.