A Wetherby man is "uncertain what the future holds" after he got cancer "from sweeping dust and debris".
81-year-old Trevor Charlesworth is living with mesothelioma and has been left unable to travel far, enjoying his favourite sport golf, struggles to cook, and can't stand or walk for long periods of time.
The pensioner, who has lived with his wife of 40 years, Denise, began feeling pain in his rib and back in 2021, and five months later he was told of his diagnosis. "It still distresses me when I think about what I’m living with, but I know nothing will change that," Trevor said.
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Trevor added: "When I first began to feel pain in my ribs and back, I thought it was maybe just the inevitability of getting older but it got worse very quickly so I knew something wasn’t quite right. Not for one minute, however, did I expect to be told I had cancer, especially one that I’d never even heard of before."
The dad-of-two to daughters, Phillipa, 59, and Tracey, 52, and 57-year-son Nicholas, was told that his type of cancer is the lining of the lungs most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously. The grandad-of-six was employed by BICC between 1962 and 1966, working as a warehouse man in Leeds. He spent half his time in the warehouse and the other half making on-site deliveries of cables to power stations and mills.
Trevor said that during the deliveries, he would be within a few yards of laggers who would mix and apply lagging to pipework. He believes the lagging contained asbestos. Trevor said he would often pass labourers sweeping dust and debris which he would breathe in.
Trevor, 81, is now joining with his legal team in appealing to his former colleagues for information on the working conditions he faced. They are particularly keen to hear from anyone who worked alongside Trevor at the now-defunct British Insulated Callender’s Cables (BICC) Limited, a cable manufacturer and construction company, initially based at Park Lane before it moved to Kirkstall Road in Leeds.
Hannah Robinson, the specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Trevor, said: "It’s been an incredibly tough time for Trevor and his family as they attempt to come to terms with his diagnosis and the uncertainty around what the future may hold. Understandably, they also have many questions over how he could have been exposed to asbestos which led to him developing mesothelioma, a particularly unpleasant and life-limiting disease.
"Trevor’s case is a stark reminder of the terrible legacy left behind by asbestos, and while we can’t change what he and his family are going through, we’re determined to help them obtain the answers they deserve. We’d therefore be grateful to hear from anyone who recalls working with Trevor and can provide details on the conditions they faced. Any information could prove vital in our investigation."
He added: "Since being diagnosed, the past year has been a struggle, not just for me but also Denise and the rest of our family as we contemplate what my illness means for us. I’m already a lot less active than I used to be, which is really upsetting and frustrating as it restricts what I can do with my grandchildren.
"I was relieved when I was told I was eligible for immunotherapy but I’ve even been finding that difficult to cope with as my condition deteriorates. All I hope for now is that I can get the answers I need about how I was exposed to asbestos. I would really appreciate if anyone I worked with could help."
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