surviving with an asbestos related disease
Making the most of the holidays when you have an asbestos related disease
Christmas is often seen as a special time for renewing contact with family and friends. This is when we create memories that we’ll cherish for months and sometimes years to come. But for people facing health challenges it can be a difficult time. Lisa Hyde-Barrett from the American organisation Mesothelioma Help says, “When your world…
Read MoreBuying presents for people with asbestos related diseases
At this time of year you will find seasonal blogs telling you what to buy, and not to buy, for friends and loved ones who have an asbestos related disease. We’ve read them for you, so you don’t have to! Here are some suggestions. Tempting treats Sometimes people lose their appetite, or their tastebuds change,…
Read MoreYour diagnosis is the start of a journey
Being diagnosed with an asbestos related disease is likely to change your perspective on life. Things that used to matter may no longer seem so important. The relationships and everyday things you took for granted may now take on new value. Understanding what your body needs You will find out what really makes you tick.…
Read MoreSometimes people do beat the odds
In a recent post we explained how doctors work out their patients’ life expectancy after they have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease. There is no crystal ball. An estimate of someone’s life expectancy is based on the average time that people survive with a particular disease. It’s also affected by any other health…
Read MoreCoping with a life-changing diagnosis and setting your own goals
Writing on mesotheliomahelp.org, nurse specialist Lisa Hyde-Barrett reminds us that being diagnosed with an asbestos related disease is life changing. Patients handle this differently. Everyone is unique and so there is no right or wrong way. She says, ‘We must allow ourselves or our family members to feel their fear, or anger, or whatever emotion…
Read MoreIf you missed Action Mesothelioma Day it’s never too late to get involved!
Our On-line ActionMeso Day meeting We held an informal meeting where people shared stories about how mesothelioma had affected their lives. Someone mentioned a link to the original World in Action investigation into the activities of Cape Asbestos in their Acre Mill at Hebden Bridge. This was a landmark in getting the damage caused by…
Read MoreMake an ActionMeso Board
If you are joining us for our regional Action Meso Day event at 11 o’clock tomorrow, or joining the national event at 12.30, #ActionMeso would like you to make an ACTION MESO BOARD. To get an invite please email info@asbestossupportce.org for the West Midlands event at 11 and go to https://actionmeso.org/amd21/ for your invite to…
Read MoreMarian’s story: the impact of mesothelioma on my mental health
Marian, a former social worker who lives in Birmingham, shares her thoughts and feelings about being diagnosed with mesothelioma. In October last year my life changed. A brief telephone call, from one of the medical registrars from the Hospital where I had undergone investigation, told me that I had a rare form of cancer and there was…
Read MoreLearning about Mesothelioma wasn’t what I meant when I decided to learn something new
Retired West Midlands teacher Bev found herself learning new lessons when she was diagnosed with mesothelioma My professional life was spent teaching. Three decades to be exact. On retiring, my aim was to become the pupil. Nothing highbrow; tips on how to improve my golf swing and some cultural toe-dipping in far flung places. There was little time…
Read MoreQuality of life is all important
Researchers in Australia have confirmed what we probably already knew. Quality of life is all important. When patients have an illness like mesothelioma it can also help them to live for longer. Previous studies had already shown that people survive for longer, on average, when they receive good palliative care or symptom control. This new…
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