What is mesothelioma and how is Rose Hall linked to it?

Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer often caused by inhaling asbestos fibres. Rose Hall developed this disease after being exposed to asbestos at her school as a child.

How many schools in the UK still contain asbestos?

Approximately 21,500 schools in the UK are reported to still contain asbestos, posing a continued risk.

What are the symptoms of asbestos exposure?

Symptoms typically include chest pains and breathlessness, and can take 20 to 60 years to develop after exposure.

Home / Health / School asbestos: Grandmother's fight for justice

School asbestos: Grandmother's fight for justice

11 Jan

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Summary

Grandmother developed incurable cancer from childhood asbestos exposure.
Thousands of former pupils potentially affected by school asbestos.
Asbestos remains in 21,500 UK schools, posing ongoing risks.

School asbestos: Grandmother's fight for justice

A grandmother's fight against incurable cancer, stemming from childhood asbestos exposure at school, highlights a pervasive danger. Rose Hall, 66, developed mesothelioma after inhaling asbestos fibres while rehearsing for a school production in the 1970s. This tragic case underscores the risks associated with asbestos still present in 21,500 schools across Britain.

The school Hall attended was found to be riddled with asbestos, leading to a legal settlement. This situation is echoed in other cases, including a man who died from mesothelioma after similar exposure at another school and a woman who succumbed to the disease after asbestos was disturbed in her school's music room. These instances reveal a decades-long latency period for the illness, with symptoms often appearing 20 to 60 years after exposure.

Campaigns are pushing for the removal of asbestos from all public buildings, including schools, as thousands are predicted to die from asbestos-related diseases. While authorities state that asbestos in good condition is generally managed in place, the ongoing health crises and legal battles demonstrate the devastating human cost of this hidden killer.