Widow joins fight against asbestos disease

A widow whose husband died from an asbestos-related disease has joined the fight to raise awareness about the illness and is supporting work to find a cure.
Alan Sheppard, of West Bank, Ambergate, died from mesothelioma, a type of cancer related to asbestos exposure, in September, just one month after being diagnosed with the disease.

He contracted the condition as a result of being exposed to asbestos while training as an electrician at just 16.

His wife Jan, 55, is now backing the charity Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team in the hope that others will not have to go through the same experiences.

She said: "My darling husband innocently worked with asbestos as a very young man.

"His premature death was caused by merely going out to work.

"When I visit Alan's grave I think to myself that I should not be there looking at the flowers I've taken along to the grave.

"My husband should not be dead. He was too young to die.

"We were looking forward to our retirement and growing old together in such a beautiful part of Derbyshire, but that has all been taken away from us.

"We need to find a cure for this cruel and devastating disease."

She will be joining dozens of other supporters at Action Mesothelioma Day which will be held in Derby on Friday, February 27, from 10am until 10pm.

As part of the event a meeting will be held at the Quad, in the Market Place, with speakers including nurses and trade union representatives, who fight for compensation for people who have contracted the disease.

Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team is fighting for more funding for research into mesothlioma.

At the moment most of the research is funded by donations from families such as Jan's.

Jan said: "The Australian government funds research to develop better treatment for mesothelioma.

"We in the UK want similar hope. Sadly there was no hope for my husband."