MAVSG: Action Mesothelioma Day

Action Mesothelioma Day 2010

Action Mesothelioma Day: Dove Merseyside Asbestos Victim Support Group and Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group hosted Action Mesothelioma Day on Merseyside. The theme of this event was to raise awareness of Mesothelioma; to raise money for Mesothelioma research and call for improvements in palliative care. The latest information was given on the pleural plaque issue.

Friday 2nd July 2010
Liverpool Town Hall
11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Action Mesothelioma Day Speakers:
Dr Chris Warburton, Chest Consultant from Aintree Hospitals Trust, Maria Guerin, Specialist Lung Cancer Nurse from Aintree Hospital Trust and Adrienne Betteley, End of Life Care Programme Lead.
Local Civic Dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of Liverpool attended. The Northwest Lung Cancer Networ Information Van(i-van) was parked up attended the event and provided the general public with information on the issues discussed on the day.

As part of the event a sponsored Dove release was organised for 12:00 noon to raise money for the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund and the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, two charities dedicated to raising funds for research specifically for finding a cure for Mesothelioma.

Report on Action Mesothelioma Day (AMD) 2010.

The 4th AMD was attended by dozens of families effected by Mesothelioma and other Asbestos Related Diseases.

MAVS organised the event jointly with the Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group whose excellent display of the names of victims on the scroll during the meeting was very well appreciated by all who attended the event and and served as a poignant reminder of why all present were in attendance.

There were also 21 children from Manor Primary School, Prenton, Birkenhead who attended for the Dove Release Ceremony and enhanced the day showing the future generations of workers who need to be protected from asbestos exposure.

The speakers included Dr Chris Warburton, a consultant chest physician, Maria Guerin, lung cancer nurse specialist at Aintree Hospital Trust, and Adrienne Betteley, an end of life care programme lead.

In her speech, Maria said that there is a need to improve palliative care, particularly for mesothelioma victims.

In answer to one widow, she said that the ratio of nurses for most other cancers far outweighs the number of specialist nursing staff for lung cancer, with includes mesothelioma, and that this must be addressed.

She highlighted that patients suffering from mesothelioma have a right to specialist nursing care, as is the case with other cancer types.

Adrienne spoke about the necessity of planning for end of life and of speaking to our loved ones about what we want. She also talked about the work being done across the Merseyside and Cheshire cancer network to improve end of life and about the many useful documents that can assist in this process.

The meeting also heard calls for improved welfare benefits for victims.

MAVSG and the Cheshire ASG would like to thank all Civic Dignitaries, local MP Louise Ellman, all speakers, the children and staff of Manor Primary School, Birkenhead, the staff of Liverpool Town Hall, the sponsors of the event, all volunteers who made the day happen and, last but not least, all those victims and families who sacrificed their time to attend, thank you.

Event Pictures


Dove Release	Doves flying away

Group Photograph with Children	Manor Primary School with Wirral Mayor

Children from Manor Primary School, Prenton, Wirral, Lord Mayor of Liverpool - Councillor Hazel Williams, Mayor of Wirral - Councillor Alan Jennings and Mayor of Sefton - Councillor Mrs Maureen Fearn JP and Louise Ellman MP at dove release ceremony. Mayor of Sefton, Councillor Mrs Maureen Fearn JP and Councillor David Rimmer, Mayor of Wirral Alan Jennings and Mayoress of Wirral in Hall of Liverpool Town Hall.


Maria Guerin, Specialist Lung Cancer Nurse	Adrienne Betteley, End of Life Care Programme Lead.

Dr Chris Warburton, Chest Consultant	Conference.

Children of Manor Primary School	Civil Dignitaries of Merseyside in the entrance of Liverpool Town Hall.

To see more photographs please contact Christopher Gregory Photography. E-mail: chris.gregory1@btopenworld.com
Phone: 0151 228 9107