Peel residents have donned their walking shoes to raise awareness of and funds towards curing mesothelioma – a disease being labelled as an epidemic in Western Australia.
More than 80 per cent of mesothelioma cases originate from exposure to asbestos and it is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs.
Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA) organised the Walk for Research and Awareness 2018, which saw team members start at Wave Rock in Hyden, head through the Peel region and finish at Parliament House.
The relay-type walking event called into Pinjarra last Thursday and also took in Waroona, Yarloop and Harvey.
In 2017 ADSA recorded 332 asbestos-caused deaths.
ADSA policy and events manager Simone Vojakovic said funding would go towards training a mesothelioma specialist.
“Every single dollar goes for a scholarship for mesothelioma – we are funding an actual doctor,” she said.
“He is a clinician and a researcher – we are futureproofing not only research but treatment.
“We are looking at a second scholarship because we want to get as many doctors trained up as possible.
“We have an epidemic of asbestos disease in Western Australia – we actually lead the world - we have the most mesothelioma per capita in the world.
“It is absolutely shocking and it is only going to get worse.”
Ms Vojakovic said the Pinjarra residents taking part had been deeply impacted by asbestos exposure.
“Unfortunately a number of them have lost husbands or fathers,” she said.
“Pretty much everyone here has lost a family member so they are walking in memory of them but also in hope that we can find a cure so their children don’t experience the same.
“People need to know that if they reduce their exposure, they reduce their risk of the disease.
“We are looking at eradicating it, but it is going to take so long that we want to find that cure first.”
Murray Wellington MP Robyn Clarke said she got leave from parliament to join the walking group for two days.
“Our children shouldn’t be exposed to asbestos – it should be used anywhere,” she said.
“The risks are so great. It concerns me that it is still in some of our buildings – our kids shouldn’t even know the word asbestos. It should be a disease of the past.”
Ms Clarke said she would back future legislation banning the use of asbestos and people in the vicinity of the 2016 Yarloop bush fires should contact ADSA as they may have been exposed as old buildings were destroyed.
To make a donation towards research and for more information call 1800 646 690 or visit www.adsawalk.org.au.
Gareth McKnight
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
