Asbestos campaigner Mavis Nye joins Novum Law in call for more awareness of mesothelioma in women

Novum Law has joined forces with Mavis Nye, mesothelioma survivor, campaigner, published author and self-proclaimed ‘meso warrior’ to call for more awareness and action for the rising numbers of women affected by asbestos.

Mavis Nye was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2009 after experiencing breathing difficulties doing simple activities, such as walking short distances. After weeks of tests and biopsies, she received the devastating news she had mesothelioma.

Mavis immediately knew her mesothelioma was linked to her husband Ray’s work on ships at the Royal Navy Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, in the 1950s. Many of Ray’s former work colleagues had been dying or were seriously ill from asbestos-related cancers.

Mavis used to meet Ray regularly for lunch, and his clothes and hair would be covered in fine asbestos dust from his maintenance work on the ships.  Little did they know that those lunch dates would mean Mavis would contract terminal, asbestos-related cancer over five decades’ later.

Mavis recently spoke to specialist asbestos disease solicitor Rebecca Ryan about her story.

Mavis says:

“I want to shine a light on women’s mesothelioma and raise awareness that this is not just a disease that affects old men – it affects people of all ages, regardless of gender, race, class or culture. For far too long, this devastating cancer has been associated with men and male-dominated industries – but that view is outdated and isn’t the case anymore.”

Andrew Stinchcombe, a specialist asbestos disease solicitor at Novum Law, adds:

“Over 20 years after asbestos use was banned, mesothelioma continues to leave a trail of devastation across the UK. It is cutting men and women’s lives short and causing untold heartache.

“We’ve joined forces with Mavis to raise awareness of this dreadful illness and to try and overcome the bias towards linking mesothelioma to men. Our advice to women is to get in touch with their GP if they have any troubling symptoms. And, if you think there’s a possibility you’ve been exposed to asbestos in the past, ask your doctor – ‘could it be mesothelioma?’”

“We’d also urge any women who are diagnosed with mesothelioma to speak to a specialist solicitor experienced in women’s mesothelioma compensation claims. Even if you have no idea how you’ve been exposed to asbestos, an expert solicitor can investigate your past and identify where you may have been in contact with this deadly material.”

To learn more about Mavis Nye and her campaigning work visit www.mavisnyefoundation.com.

If you would like to learn more about making a mesothelioma claim, call us on Freephone 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or fill out our online enquiry form for a free, no-obligation chat.