Action Mesothelioma Day (Action Meso Day), an annual event on 1 July to raise awareness of mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos, will be marked this year by turning landmarks blue for the #GoBlueForMeso campaign.
As part of its ActionMeso campaign, the UK Mesothelioma Alliance (UKMA) is encouraging people to ask their local landmarks and buildings to light up blue to mark Action Meso Day 2022.
Patients, family members, friends, carers, local dignitaries, healthcare professionals, asbestos removal companies, law firms and anyone interested in mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos are invited to get involved and #GoBlueForMeso.
ActionMeso supporters, including support groups and charities, will also be hosting their own activities on the day to raise awareness and funds.
The UK has the world’s highest incidence of mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, with more than 2,700 people diagnosed each year.
The ActionMeso campaign aims to alert the public to the dangers of asbestos when it’s not managed properly, the devasting effect that mesothelioma has on people’s lives and the indiscriminate way that people are affected.
Statistics show that 94 per cent of mesothelioma cases in the UK are caused by workplace exposures and are preventable. Through campaigns such as #GoBlueForMeso and by promoting its Mesothelioma Patient Charter, the UKMA’s ActionMeso campaign wants to see employers, healthcare providers and politicians in all the nations of the United Kingdom, take the action needed to prevent the disease and ensure more families do not suffer.
Lynne Squibb, founder of asbestos support group and charity HASAG and ActionMeso campaign chair, said: “Because asbestos is now banned in this country, many people do not realise that it still poses a threat. People have no idea that it’s still within the fabric of many buildings especially schools and hospitals.
“Sadly, mesothelioma is an incurable – but preventable – cancer and it affects so many families. We want everyone to understand the dangers of asbestos and the devastating impact of mesothelioma, which can develop decades after exposure to asbestos. By getting involved in #GoBlueForMeso on 1 July we hope to really raise awareness of mesothelioma.”
Mesothelioma patient, Mavis Nye, and founder of the asbestos charity the Mavis Nye Foundation added: “There is great work going on in the mesothelioma community across the country, but one of the biggest issues is the lack of awareness of this type of cancer. We hope as many people as possible get on board with the #GoBlueForMeso campaign and urge their local landmarks to light up blue on Action Meso Day.”
More information, including a template letter to send to landmarks, can be found on the website and Twitter.