Symptoms of Mesothelioma

The family of an Islington man are seeking former workmates to shed light on the working conditions which brought about his untimely death.
Eric Broadway died last May at the age of 81 as a result of asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma, which he is believed to have contracted while working as an electrician.
Mr Broadway died 10 weeks after being diagnosed, and his family were shocked to see him decline so quickly from a healthy looking man.

Jane Philebrown, a 43-year-old nurse from Winchester and Mr Broadway’s daughter, said: “He was an active man - fit, healthy. e was looking forward to going on a holiday in Crete in February but he was diagnosed in January and had to back out. He was enjoying his life and I think he felt like the rug had been pulled from under his feet.”

Malignant mesothelioma is an asbestos-related disease which lies dormant for decades. There is no known cure for the disease which accounts for several thousand deaths a year.

Mr Broadway began working life with the City Electrical Company, Emerald Street, Holborn, in 1941, until serving with the armed forces from 1943 to 1946. After the war he returned to City Electrical Company and continued working as an electrician for most of his working life. Mr Broadway was a keen walker and had enjoyed rambling holidays in Morocco and Egypt as well as walking the dog locally.

Mrs Philebrown said: “He never smoked and he was virtually a teetotaller. He walked our dog two miles a day for us while we were away and it was only a year ago he was up on the scaffolding at our house cleaning the leaves out the gutters. t’s terrible that companies new that working with asbestos was dangerous but they still let their workers be exposed to it. They wanted to get the job done so they sent in normal working men who needed to put food on the table and wouldn’t ask questions.”
Following Mr Broadway’s death the family took specialist legal advice from Corries Solicitors, a firm of asbestos disease lawyers, and are seeking help with the case from former colleagues and workmates with regard to his work in London and Hampshire.

A spokesman for Corries Solicitors said: “Eric Broadway died because he went to work. It is a tragedy that there will be increasing numbers of deaths from mesothelioma in the years ahead.”

Anyone with information should contact Dominic Collingwood at Corries on 01904 527 463.

News from:  Islingtone Gazette in 19 September 2007