Over 1,000 people in Surrey killed by cancer linked to asbestos
New research has found that 1055 people have passed away from mesothelioma in the county over a forty year period - from 1981 to 2021.
Over 1,000 people in Surrey have died of an incurable cancer that's often linked to asbestos.
New research has found that 1,055 people have passed away from mesothelioma in the county over a forty year period - from 1981 to 2021.
Most people who died were from Guildford (127) with many also from Reigate and Banstead (126), Waverley (107) and Mole Valley (101).
Now, people are being encouraged to learn more about the disease - which has connections to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs, linked to asbestos exposure.
Among the industries and occupations most at risk are construction workers, firefighters, industrial workers as well as healthcare and education workers, as asbestos is estimated to remain inside 1.5 million residential and commercial buildings in the U.K.
Jordan Bell, who is the head of asbestos claims at Slater and Gordon lawyers, said, "There is a really variety of symptoms and each patient may experience the symptoms in a slightly different way. But there are common threads, most commonly there will be a persistent cough, potentially shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue or extreme tiredness.
"Many people believe asbestos to be a problem of the past but that is simply not the case. I think that misperception is due in large part to the fact that it takes many years in most cases for mesothelioma to develop after exposure, so in some people's minds it is yesterday's problem.
"But asbestos was used so extensively for such a long period that it is still a problem for us today."