Too many people in regional areas like Toowoomba are living with asbestos-related diseases in isolation and with feelings of neglect because they have been unable to access or are unaware of support options available to them.
The Asbestos Diseases Support Society (ADSS) is reaching out to regional Queenslanders who suffer from diseases they have contracted from working with or otherwise handling asbestos. They also want to meet their carers, families and friends. As part of a state-wide drive to let regional sufferers know they are not alone, a team of ADSS specialists will be in Toowoomba ont Tuesday, June 21st to meet with affected locals and set up a support network within the community. ADSS Chief Executive Officer Amanda Richards said it was important to let people affected by asbestos diseases to know there were other people living in their own communities who were going through the same issues.
“There is a general feeling among people who have repository disease arising from asbestos that they are isolated and alone,†she said. “They don’t know that there are others in their community who are going through or have been through the exact experiences they are dealing with. They could be fellow sufferers, the spouses of sufferers or people who have helped others who have had the disease. We want to bring them together. We want to let them know they are not alone.â€
She said ADSS had about 150 people in the Toowoomba region on its database, but support staff believed there were many more on the Darling Downs who could use the support and friendship of others.
ADSS will be hosting a public morning tea at the Toowoomba Golf Club between 10am and 11.30amon Tuesday, June 21st. A team of support staff, including a social worker and a lawyer with asbestos- related diseases experience, will be at the morning tea to advise sufferers and help people navigate government and other support services.
Sufferers, carers, families, friends or anyone with an interest in helping people live with asbestos diseases are welcome to attend. To RSVP or for more information, call ADSS on 1800 776 412.
