National specialist resource centre for asbestos-related cancer, Mesothelioma UK, and the UK’s market leader in asbestos management and consultancy, Lucion Services, have joined forces, forming a partnership to help raise funds and awareness about the dangers of asbestos and resulting diseases from exposure.

According to Mesothelioma UK, the UK has the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world with around 2700 new diagnosis made per year, with projected future rises. Partnering with Mesothelioma UK, as a key player in the risk and asbestos industry, we will provide funding for the charity, raise awareness of mesothelioma and provide an educational training platform.

Who is Mesothelioma UK?

Mesothelioma UK is the UK’s leading national specialist resource centre for mesothelioma. Founded in 2004 with initial funding from Macmillan Cancer Support, the charity has been dedicated to providing information, support and improve treatment and care throughout the UK for mesothelioma sufferers and their carers. The charity, that became an independent charity in 2009, also delivers information and education to industry bodies nationwide, raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos and preventative measures that must be taken to protect individuals from deadly asbestos exposures.

Integrated with the NHS, Mesothelioma UK funds a network of specialist nurses available to mesothelioma sufferers at the point of need.

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that mostly affects the thin membranes (known as the mesothelium) in the chest wall but can affect the other organs such as the heart and intestines. The disease was first suspected to be linked to asbestos exposure in 1935, with medical research evidencing the link in 1965. There is currently no known cure for the disease and prognosis is poor, with only around half of patients living past one year after diagnosis. Through extensive research, it is now known that asbestos exposure is responsible for 9 out of 10 mesothelioma cases.

Despite banning the use of asbestos in 1999, the presence of asbestos in buildings continues to be a major issue for the UK. Asbestos materials can degrade over time which, when disturbed, can release deadly asbestos fibres into the air, resulting in asbestos-related diseases including, but not limited to, mesothelioma.

For more information about asbestos levels in the UK and what we can do to control the levels of asbestos exposure, download our free white paper, ‘Why The UK Needs Tighter Asbestos Controls’ authored by Lucion’s Co-Founder Charles Pickles.

What Will Lucion Do To Support The Charity?

Our mission is to make the world a safer place to live. To help us achieve our mission, we have partnered with Mesothelioma UK to raise awareness of mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos, shedding light on how we can better manage those dangers through preventative risk controls measures.

As part of our partnership, we will offer Mesothelioma UK access to our offices and training resources at any 12 of our office locations across the UK. They will have the support of our consultants, team members, training providers and materials to help Mesothelioma UK to raise the profile of the disease and the dangers of asbestos exposure. We will also:

Use our social presence to promote the charity and raise awareness for the support available to those who need it
Invite Mesothelioma UK nurses to our internal team meetings to speak to our team members, so we can be reminded of the gravity the work we do and how we really are making the world a safer place to live.
Through our thought-leading, renowned asbestos management conference Asbestos The Truth as a platform for the charity, showcasing what they do and how preventative measures are imperative to protecting individuals and environments.

Read more about our partnership mission and vision partnership here: Partnership Statement

Our Communications Director, Lucy Hughes, commented on the collaborative partnership saying:

“We are delighted to team up with Mesothelioma UK this year; we will be donating our time, resources and money to support this extremely important cause. Mesothelioma is a cause very close to our hearts here at Lucion, as our team are all too aware of the damage that asbestos can do. Giving back to our community is a big part of the culture at Lucion so I know we will have great success in our partnership.”

Liz Darlison, Head of Services at Mesothelioma UK added:

“We’re delighted to have been named as Lucion Services’ Charity of the Year. As well as being the lucky recipient of their magnificent fundraising efforts, we’ll be working with the company to boost our visibility within the UK risk management sector, alert people to the dangers of asbestos exposure, and make them aware of the pathways to treatment and care.”

The Future Is Bright

The charities future vision is to become the ‘Mesothelioma One Stop Shop’, encompassing its support services for sufferers, education of preventative measures for industries and help to encourage higher standards of treatment and care through the NHS. Their five-year plan strategy (2016 – 2021) is ‘Dedicated To Making Mesothelioma Matter’.

We are excited to be working with Mesothelioma UK and making a positive impact across multiple industry sectors.