Spring 2017 NEWSLETTER · Gold Coast 5 October Brisbane City / AGM 18 October Gladstone 24 October Bundaberg 25 October Hervey Bay/Maryborough 26 October Gympie 27 October Ecumenical

Asbestos Disease Support Society

16 Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006

PO Box 280, Spring Hill, QLD 4004

Phone: 1800 776 412

Spring 2017 NEWSLETTER

Asbestos Disease Support SocietySPRING NEWSLETTER 2017

Date Claimers

Front cover photo: Queen Mary Falls, Killarney, QLD (Darling Down’s Region)

2017 Member Morning Teas

Gold Coast 5 October

Brisbane City / AGM 18 October

Gladstone 24 October

Bundaberg 25 October

Hervey Bay/Maryborough 26 October

Gympie 27 October

Ecumenical Service 24 November

Brisbane South Morning Tea Group

Brisbane South Morning Tea Group – Sunnybank Hills Library from 9.30am Second Friday of the Month

• 13th October• 10th November - Xmas Lunch

Brisbane North Morning Tea Group

Brisbane North Morning Tea Group – Bracken Ridge Library from 10.30am First Wednesday of the Month

• 4th October• 1st November – Xmas Lunch

If you wish to attend any of the above Morning Tea events, you may RSVP by calling the

society on 1800 776 412.

1SPRING NEWSLETTER 2017Asbestos Disease Support Society

In This Issue

Notice Of A General Meeting Of Members 2

In Loving Memory 3

Ceo Report 4

Cancer Drug Developed In Melbourne Offers Hope To Asbestos Cancer Mesothelioma Victims 6

Cancer Breakthrough: Melbourne Discovery Paves Way For New Drugs 7

First National Mdt For Peritoneal Mesothelioma 8

Role Of Your Doctor In Compensation Claims 9

Information For Your Doctor 10

Research Gives Mesothelioma Sufferers Hope 12

Dr. Raja Flores Explains The Tools Used In Mesothelioma Surgery 12

Race Day 14

The Society At Work 16

2 Asbestos Disease Support SocietySPRING NEWSLETTER 2017

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

NOTICE OF A GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

DATE: 18 October 2017

TIME: 11.30 am (following Morning Tea)

LOCATION: Hotel Jen (above Roma Street Station)

BUSINESS:

• Board Report

• Financial Statement and Auditors Report

• Appointment PKF Hackett Auditors

• Board Elections – 5 positions

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

...................................................................

Company Secretary


Patricia LindseyCharles Cutter

Maria PapadimitriouGrahame David Kelton

Keith Ronald HendyTheodore Harry Stuhmcke

Kenneth Leslie Nielsen David Black

Warren James RitchieMyles Evans

Barrymore Francis ClarkeWeston Albert ScottEdward SomervilleColin John Tierney

David Frederick MalpasDavid Louis Hogan

Rodney MulhernGiuseppe Antonio De ValterRaymond Edward Gorton

In Loving Memory


CEO Report

Once again ADSS has had another busy quarter, starting off with a visit to Canberra to meet the new CEO of the Asbestos Disease Research Institute, Professor Ken Tagahashi and hear his vision for the future of ADRI.

I then went on to Darwin where we had our first morning tea in the Northern Territory, and had a stall at the Darwin Camping Show. Whilst there I also met with Ministerial advisors and government representatives.

Darwin has asbestos nearly everywhere you look. It has been used as landfill, there is waste left over from cyclone Tracey and houses built with asbestos. It is a huge issue but the government are finally starting to work on a cross departmental plan for asbestos management.

I would also like to thank everyone who re-joined the Society this year.

Sound Governance and ComplianceADSS has applied and become an approved association in the Northern Territory meaning that we are able to hold fund raising activities. This is an important step as the Society builds up our presence in the Northern Territory.

ADSS is in the process of implementing a new Data Base for our membership and case management, at this stage members will not notice any difference but in the future we will have the ability to do a lot more with our information.

At the time of writing nominations are being called for five Director positions. The call for nominations has been on our Web site and on Facebook. Should there be an election all members will be entitled to vote. The new Directors will be endorsed by members at the ADSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 18 October 2017.

A formal notice of the ADSS AGM is included in this newsletter for members. Members are able to allocate a proxy vote to someone attending the meeting.

Sound and Sustainable FinancesDonations to the society have been strong this quarter, with people electing to make a donation with their membership. We have also received donations from businesses who were unable to attend Race Day. The

following need to be recognised for their donations of over $500 to ADSS:

• Hugh and Ann Johnston

• Top Tourist Parks of Australia

• Aztech Services Australia Pty Ltd

• FreshVend

• I & H Contractors

• East Coast Concrete Contractors

• A F Sarri Pty Ltd

• Queensland Nurses & Midwives Union

• Smartscaff Pty Ltd

• Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd

• Acrow Formwork & Scaffolding

• Total Contract Services Pty Ltd

• Fugen Masonry Contractors (QLD)

• Cut and Core QLD

• CFMEU Members

Our Financial Statements are in the processes of being audited however we did have a surplus for the 2016/17 financial year.

Race Day is reported separately however I can report that it was a huge success and puts the Society once again in a good place financially to continue the planned program of work.

The Society has now taken out insurance for our volunteers which means that a few things have to change for volunteers roles, training and accountabilities.

Sound Support Arrangements for Sufferer’sADSS is now conducting over 23 morning teas across Queensland and the Northern Territory. This model of contact seems to be working well for us.

This quarter we have been to :

• Darwin

• Chermside

• Warwick

• Cairns

• Townsville

• Mackay

• Rockhampton

Amanda Richards


• Logan

• Beaudesert

• Redlands

• North Lakes

We have also opened a hot desk (shared office) in Darwin.

Our Social Worker, Leanne is kept busy following up on our members and referring people on to the Occupational Therapist or Nutritionist.

Strengthen engagement with community, government, business and other SocietiesADSS was invited to attend the parliamentary group for asbestos related disease, the ADSS Board Chair Andrew Ramsay and I attended this event. We met with the new CEO of ADRI and heard a report on the health implications of Mr Fluffy.

Whist in Canberra we also met with Senator Scullions advisor in relation to asbestos issues in aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

We also caught up with representatives from the other support groups and got to hear what they have been up to.

I was also invite to attend the Queensland Council of Unions Executive to brief them on the work that we are doing and get more unions to take out membership of the Society in order that we can support more workers being exposed to asbestos on the job.

Advocate on matters pertinent to ARD sufferers, people exposed to asbestos and for the prevention of exposure to asbestos

The Senate inquiry into non conforming building products has had further hearings and has now been extended to include the cladding issues. So we continue to await an outcome on this Inquiry.

We have been trying to meet with the Queensland Minister for Health to discuss our concerns over the Public Health Regulations which allow members of the public to remove ten square meters of asbestos without any training or if they do an online course they can remove significantly more. ADSS does not support this position as we believe these people and the general public are being put at risk. We constantly receive feedback at events that people are not removing asbestos safely, nor are they disposing of it safely. Asbestos is a hazardous substance and therefore only licenced removalists should be allowed to remove it. In my mind it is similar to requiring a competent electrician to do electrical work due to the risks associated with live wires.

STOP PRESS DIRECTORS ELECTED UNOPPOSED

PHIL BLAIR

PETER CLOSE

MARGOT HOYTE

SHEILA HUNTER

BIANCA NEVE


Cancer Drug Developed In MelbourneOffers Hope To Asbestos CancerMesothelioma Victims

Lucie van den Berg, Herald Sun

March 12, 2017 6:30pm

A NEW drug developed in Melbourne can shrink tumours in the laboratory.

Plans are now under way for human trials to treat mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Australia has one of the world’s highest rates of this lethal cancer, for which five-year survival rates are at less than 10 per cent.

Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute senior clinical research fellow Associate Professor Tom John said the drug was an antibody drug conjugate which binds to a target on the surface of the cancer cell and releases little packets of chemotherapy.

Unlike traditional treatments that kill both good and bad cells, this treatment is designed to kill only the bad.

“In mice models the tumours shrank and if we stopped the treatment they grew back,” Prof John said.

“Many researchers can cure cancer in a mouse, so

we can’t over-interpret the results. Although it’s very exciting, because mesothelioma typically doesn’t respond to anything.”

The team, which includes Professor Andrew Scott, Associate Prof Hui Gan, and Dr Puey Ling Chia, aims to begin human trials this year.

Unlike many treatments being developed, the drug has already been shown to be safe in humans with brain cancer.

The discovery that mesothelioma expressed the same molecule addressed by the brain cancer drug was a result of hard work, lateral thinking and some serendipity.

After cataloguing mesothelioma tissue samples, creating a database and growing human cancers in mice, Prof John decided to see if the tumours expressed the same molecule his colleagues in the adjacent lab were working on.

“Lo and behold, they did,” he said. “It’s a highly-expressed target.”

Trial results remain confidential until published, but the team is cautiously optimistic about the drug’s potential.


Cancer Breakthrough: MelbourneDiscovery Paves Way For New Drugs

MELBOURNE RESEARCHERS HAVE UNCOVERED THE MASTER CONTROLLER RESPONSIBLE FOR FLICKING THE “SWITCH” THAT ALLOWS A CANCER TO SHIELD ITSELF FROM THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Brigid O’Connell, Health reporter, Herald Sun

August 18, 2017 7:00pm

The discovery paves the way for the development of new immunotherapy drugs targeting a wide range

of common cancers, using a similar pathway in the type of checkpoint-inhibitor melanoma drugs that have saved Jarryd Roughead and Ron Walker.

The international team, led by Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, identified the “red traffic light” on the surface of tumour cells, a protein called PD-L1, which works to stop it being attacked by the immune system so it can grow and multiply.

While this protein normally acts as an “off switch” to prevent overreactions that lead to auto-immune disease, they found that an oversupply of this PD-L1 protein on the cell surface allowed the cancer to fly below the radar of the immune system.

Importantly, they uncovered that this process was driven by a protein called CMTM6, whose presence they discovery was essential for allowing the cancer to evade the immune system.

First author, Dr Marian Burr said there had been previously nothing known about this CMTM6 protein, which they now understand is part of a family of proteins which they are hopeful may lead them to the discovery of other drug targets.

Peter Mac clinician-scientist Professor Mark Dawson said developing a new anti-PD1 drug that targets CMTM6 would be a “powerful new addition to our immunotherapy armoury”.

“Checkpoint therapies like Keytruda are not 100 per cent effective,” Prof Dawson said.

“What we’ve found is that combining these therapies has a better effect than using them alone, but that is limited by toxicity.

“Having another avenue to hit the same pathway may allow these combination therapies with fewer side effects.”

The findings were published today in the journal Nature.

Donations to ADSS can be made via our website at www.adss.org.au

Should you wish to organise In Memorium donations on behalf of a family member, donation envelopes are available from the office.

All donations to ADSS over $2.00 are tax deductible.

Some people may also like to donate to ADSS through a Bequest in their will. This requires wording which your lawyer can assist you with.


First National Mdt For Peritoneal Mesothelioma

BASINGSTOKE AND NORTH HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL AND THE CHRISTIE HOSPITAL, MANCHESTER WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL CENTRES FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PSEUDOMYXOMAPERITONEI (PMP) IN APRIL 2000.

PMP is a rare malignancy arising mainly from the appendix which spreads throughout the peritoneal

cavity producing a large amount of mucus. Complete Cytoreduction, an innovative surgical technique, used to treat patients with PMP was developed by Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Institute. It involves surgical removal of tumour by a combination of peritonectomies (removing the lining of the abdomen) and removal of affected organs, combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

At Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, the same treatment has been used for patients suffering from the rarer condition of peritoneal abdominal mesothelioma with collaboration with centres abroad collecting outcomes in an international registry.

Patients may benefit from surgery if all their macroscopic disease can be completely removed and the abdomen washed with hot chemotherapy. Sometimes if there is a lot of abdominal swelling from ascites with disease on the omentum, a major tumour debulkingprocedure can help control symptoms and improve quality of life.

Unfortunately, the majority of patients are not suitable

for this approach and are best treated with systemic chemotherapy. We use combination of CT scans and keyhole laparoscopy procedures to help select those who may benefit.

In July 2015, NHS England concluded there was insufficient evidence of the effectiveness of this treatment for patients with abdominal mesothelioma and so this treatment iscurrently not routinely funded by the NHS.

Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital is working with The Christie, Manchester, Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham and The Mater Hospital, Dublin and have set up a National Peritoneal Mesothelioma Multi-Disciplinary Team (NPMMDT), bringing together leading clinical specialists to discuss every referred patient, focusing on their presentation, diagnosis and treatment options and providing recommendations.

The team aims to gain consensus on clinical approach and to gather evidence on the effectiveness of NPMMDT outcomes and surgical treatment, to support NHS England in its commissioning decisions.

The team first met in July 2016 and have held six subsequent National Peritoneal Mesothelioma MDT meetings, discussing 49 patients and making recommendations as to most appropriate treatment. The NPMMDT has recommended four patients for surgery and others for chemotherapy in the first instance, with possible surgery as a subsequent treatment option.

We are seeing a growing number of referrals to the National Peritoneal Mesothelioma MDT and we anticipate making treatment recommendations for over 100 patients a year initially and crucially, collate the outcomes of any treatment provided.


Role Of Your Doctor In Compensation Claims

In asbestos compensation claims medical evidence is crucial. Generally for compensation to be recovered for asbestos exposure, there must be medical evidence that a person has an asbestos disease that is causing symptoms, such as breathing impairment, chest pain or in some cases psychological distress. In some cases all of these symptoms are present.

A person may see various doctors in the course of investigation, diagnosis and treatment of an asbestos disease, and indeed during the compensation process.

Whether you are seeing a general practitioner, a specialist to whom you are referred or a specialist for the purposes of a compensation claim, it is essential that the circumstances of asbestos exposure and symptoms are fully explained to the doctor.

As set out in an article earlier in this newsletter, many questions have come up at recent morning teas about what to say to a doctor and one of the common comments from members attending the morning teas was that they often feel uncomfortable repeatedly telling a doctor about their shortness of breath or chest pain, particularly in circumstances where medical science is largely unable to treat symptoms of asbestos disease.

It is absolutely essential though whenever a person with asbestos disease sees a doctor, whether for treatment or compensation purposes, that a full description of current symptoms be given. Insurers in compensation claims are understandably dubious in a claim for asbestos related chest pain where the Plaintiff has little or no reference to chest pain in their treating doctor’s notes. Often a person feels it is pointless to repeatedly describe chest pain to a doctor when there seems little that can be done about it but, again, it is crucial that a full description of symptoms is given, firstly so that a doctor can fully understand the patient’s health and, secondly, for the purposes of compensation, so that there is an accurate record of symptoms.

The other very important issue for compensation is the history of asbestos exposure. Sometimes patients can be put on the spot at an early stage of asbestos disease diagnosis when they are being asked about asbestos exposure. Some people initially deny asbestos exposure but then recall it later. This is not uncommon. It is important though that care be taken considering asbestos exposure so that an accurate and full record is given to the treating doctor. In some circumstances the exposure may be obvious – a person who worked in an asbestos factory. In other

circumstances the exposure may have been largely forgotten – brief renovation of a home many years ago. Whatever the circumstance, if an asbestos disease is being investigated, care needs to be taken to ensure that a proper record of the exposure is obtained. Often at this stage it is crucial that the person being investigated sits down with a lawyer to go through their history very carefully. Often this can take many hours.

The role of a doctor, be it investigative, diagnostic, treatment or for compensation purposes, is crucial in asbestos compensation claims. The extent of an asbestos disease, the current disability and prognosis are the main factors that determine whether a person is entitled to compensation and the level of compensation. Full description of symptoms and proper recording of exposure is crucial in ensuring that proper medical reports are obtained.

Feel free to contact the Society if you have

any questions at all about the process of

attending doctors during asbestos disease

investigation, treatment and diagnosis.

Thady Blundell SOCIETY LEGAL ADVISER


Information For Your Doctor

At some of our recent morning teas the issue of attending your doctors arose. The issue was when

the doctor asks you how you are we automatically say we are good and that is what they record. This does not assist the doctor to treat you appropriately and it does not assist your lawyer should you take legal action.

I have done a little research and the following information is lifted from the Safe Work Australia Guide, Hazardous Chemicals requiring Health Monitoring. The folloing information is usefull for those who are currently being monitored due to exposure to asbestos as part of their work or those who have been diagnosed in order that you can give your doctor a proper report on your current status.

PreambleFollowing are questions, mainly about your chest. Answer yes or no whenever possible.

If you are disabled from walking from any condition other than heart and lung disease, please begin questionnaire at Question 5 and mark the adjacent box.


BREATHLESSNESS AND WHEEZING

During the last month:

1. Are you troubled by shortness of breath when hurrying on level ground or walking up a slight hill? Yes No

2. If Yes to 1 - Do you get short of breath walking with other people of your age on level ground? Yes No

3. If Yes to 2 - Do you have to stop for breath when walking at your own pace on level ground? Yes No

4. If you run, or climb stairs fast do you ever a. cough? Yes No

b. wheeze? Yes No

c. get tight in the chest? Yes No

5. Is your sleep ever broken a. by wheeze? Yes No

b. difficulty in breathing? Yes No

6. Do you ever wake up in the morning (or from your sleep if a shift worker) a. with wheeze? Yes No

b. difficulty with breathing? Yes No

7. Do you ever wheeze a. if you are in a smoky room? Yes No

b. if you are in a very dusty place? Yes No

8. If Yes to either Q5, Q6, Q7 - Are your symptoms better a. at weekends (or equivalent if shift worker)? Yes No

b. when you are on holidays? Yes No

If Yes to Question 8, please record details of any occupational exposure to respiratory hazards e.g. isocya-nates, wood dust, aluminium pot room or asbestos, in Additional notes at the end of this questionnaire.

COUGH

9. Do you usually cough first thing in the morning in winter? Yes No

10. Do you usually cough during the day/ or at night / in the winter? Yes No

11. If Yes to Q9 or Q10 – Do you cough like this on most days for as much as three months each year? Yes No

PHLEGM

12. Do you usually bring up phlegm from your chest first thing in the morning in winter?

Yes No

13. Do you usually bring up any phlegm from your chest during the day / or at night / in winter? Yes No

14. If Yes to Q12 or Q13 – Do you bring up phlegm like this on most days for as much as three months each year? Yes No

PERIODS OF COUGH AND PHLEGM

15. In the past three years, have you had a period of (increased) cough and phlegm lasting for three weeks or more? Yes No

16. If Yes to Q15 – Have you had more than one such episode? Yes No

CHEST ILLNESSES

17. During the past three years, have you had any chest illness that has kept you from your usual activities for as much as a week? Yes No

18. If Yes to Q17 – Did you bring up more phlegm than usual in any of these illnesses?

Yes No

19. If Yes to Q18 – Have you had more than one illness like this in the past three years?

Yes No


THE MCA BLOG

Dr. Raja FloresExplains theTools Used inMesotheliomaSurgery

Dr. Raja Flores, professor and chief of thoracic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, knows that treating mesothelioma is more than a simple surgery. Though surgery is a common treatment for many mesothelioma patients, the process is not nearly as simple as going in and removing the cancerous tissue.

Mesothelioma most often forms in the lining of the lungs, but it can also develop in the lining of the chest or the lining of the heart. For many patients, the rare disease isn’t found until it has already developed to a later stagewhere surgery may no longer even be an option. For patients who do undergo surgery, they most often face a multimodal form of treatment and will also undergo chemotherapy, radiation, or both.

Though it can be a complex process, Dr. Flores believes surgery is often the best option for survival, and using the right tools is essential to a successful operation.

Research GivesMesothelioma Sufferers Hope

A new treatment being pioneered by Sydney mesothelioma cancer researchers has created

excitement in the scientific world.

Source: AAP

There may be light at the end of the tunnel for mesothelioma sufferers.

The rare cancer, which results from exposure to asbestos, kills most patients but a team of Sydney oncology experts has found injecting sufferers with missing genetic information can reverse tumour growth.

“This has created considerable excitement in the scientific world,” the study’s principal investigator, Professor Nico van Zandwijk, said on Friday.

Researchers first identified that mesothelioma sufferers’ cancerous cells were missing important nucleotides, called microRNA.

This genetic information, present in all normal cells, not only controls cell function but prevents cancer growth.

Armed with this knowledge, the team began injecting patients’ deficient cells with microRNA.

After four years of trials they discovered replacing the missing microRNA nucleotides stopped cancer growth and could reduce tumour size.

“This is a magnificent finding,” Prof van Zandwijk from Sydney University’s Concord Clinical School told AAP.

But there’s a lot more work to be done before the treatment could be used to fight mesothelioma in the real world.

Prof van Zandwijk says more clinical trials are required over at least six years before the treatment could be registered.

Australia has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world due to mining and the widespread use of asbestos in building materials up until the 1980s.

The cancer, which originates in the tissues lining the lung, is resistant to almost all forms of therapy.

Only 40 per cent of patients respond to standard chemotherapy which adds just months to their lives.

The results of the trial have been published in the latest issue of Lancet Oncology.

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/doctors/dr-raja-flores/

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/surgery/

https://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/stages/4.htm


Tools to Treat Mesothelioma

“When I see the patients, they are already symptomatic,” Dr. Flores explained. “They are short of breath, their cancer is growing.”

Dr. Flores is considered a leading expert in the research and treatment of pleural mesothelioma, which develops in the lining of the lungs. The symptoms often begin with shortness of breath, chest pain, or a dry cough, which can easily lead to a misdiagnosis of more common ailments. This coupled with the latency period of 20 – 50 years before symptoms begin to show leads to most patients facing a rather dire prognosis of 12 – 21 months.

The current standard treatment for pleural mesothelioma is surgery. Depending on the severity of the disease, surgeons may consider surgery with curative intent or as a palliative treatment for those whose mesothelioma has progressed. Either way, no mesothelioma surgery is exactly the same and understanding the best option for an individual’s caseis crucial for a patient’s chance of survival and quality of life.

In its most simple form, Dr. Flores explained, “As a surgeon, what I do is I go in there and I cut out the tumor. Most patients will need a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy afterwards. Now we are starting this trial using immunotherapy for mesothelioma, but that is still in the early stages.”

For doctors, many of the tools enlisted to treat patients are tangible. For example, Dr. Flores enlists scissors to cut through tissue, hands to strip the wall, aquamantys, the usual bovie, and Gore-Tex patches (both thin and thick) as some of the standard pieces of equipment before proceeding with surgery. Experience and extensive knowledge of the disease, however, may be the most important tools a doctor needs for a successful surgery.

Even with a successful treatment, it’s difficult to ever say a patient is cured of mesothelioma. Dr. Flores explains, “I am hesitant to use the word ‘cure’ because we are convinced that there will be microscopic tumor left behind, so you need to add radiation and/or chemotherapy, so I would rather use the word curative intent.”

But even though there is no cure for mesothelioma and sometimes treatments may not be as successful as hoped, Dr. Flores has a more optimistic outlook. “As a surgeon I am biased,” he says, “I treat this with surgery and all of my survivors are people who have had surgery.”

Working Together for Survival

One of the greatest tools researchers and doctors have is each other. Mesothelioma is a challenging, complex disease. With better data sharing and more collaboration, doctors can continue to improve current mesothelioma treatment options and improve emerging therapies, like immunotherapy, that show promise for the future.

“Since it’s such a rare tumor, I think the patients should see doctors who are really experienced in this field and I think the same goes for the new doctors. They should pair themselves up with doctors who are already experienced because you don’t want to reinvent the wheel,” Dr. Flores insisted. “When you reinvent the wheel, patients get hurt. You want to learn from the people who are experienced in this procedure, so that you don’t make the same mistakes and hurt these patients just because there are so few of them. You want to go to someone who has a large experience of treating this disease.”

Although mesothelioma is a malignant force that has life changing consequences on anyone it touches, the mesothelioma community is a tight knit one that offers and provides heaps of love and support to those in need. With insights from professionals such as Dr. Flores to success stories and inspiration like that of Heather Von St. James, the fight against mesothelioma is stronger than ever and only continues to grow stronger. Knowing which tools are necessary to attacking mesothelioma is the first step. Picking up those tools and using them comes next.

https://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/types/pleural.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/staff/understanding-techniques-in-mesothelioma-surgery-with-dr-raja-flores.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/staff/understanding-techniques-in-mesothelioma-surgery-with-dr-raja-flores.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/immunotherapy.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/immunotherapy.htm

https://www.ciamedical.com/search/bovie

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/research/cure.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/guide.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/doctors/connect.htm

https://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/survivor/

https://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/survivor/


10

Race Day

September 13 saw the Tenth Anniversary ADSS Charity Race Day being held at Doomben

Racecourse. We at ADSS were determined to make this an event to remember and I believe that we achieved it. Hundreds of construction businesses and union members came out in support of ADSS to ensure that we could continue to carry out the program set out for our members. Race Day generates about 20 per cent of the Societies income.

So many people on the day came up to tell me that we were doing a great job and to keep it up. They told me stories about mates that they work with, or worked with that have an asbestos related disease and how the support that we have given them has been appreciated.

The Race Day is a corporate event aimed to raise money for the Society and hence its members. This year we sold over 1300 tickets. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to attend but we had a great turn out. The weather put on a great show as well, with clear blue skies and a nice cooling breeze.

Apparently, there were horse races too. I didn’t get to even see a horse this year! I did however hear a lot of cheering on occasion as people supported their horse on the home run.

We had Fashions of the field and best hat for males and female attendees as well as a lot of shenanigans such as wheelbarrow races; Coits (Race day style); Ball throwing competitions and whatever else our MC Mark Forbes came up with.

A memorabilia Auction of a Queensland State of Origin jersey – organised by Gilly; and a Jeff Horne signed glove organised by Bud Neiland.

A number of mattresses were also donated by the following manufacturers:

• A H Beard

• Sealy

• Sleepmaker, the Comfort Groupwere also auctioned off.

Our Annual Raffle was also drawn on the day and the following people were our lucky winners:

First Prize:

Blake Eastern Trailer with outdoor goods and tools

Second PrIze:

Russell Goerg Flight Centre Voucher

Third Prize:

Tim Moulton Gift Cards

We also raffled a holiday at Port Douglas and Samantha Lumsden was the lucky winner.

A big thank you to our Staff, Directors and Volunteers who assisted in making the day the success that it was.

A BIG thank you to our sponsors:

• Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

• Master Builders QLD

• Total Tools

• Turner Freeman Lawyers

• Slater Gordon Lawyers

• FTF Pty Ltd

• Creative Safety Initiatives But the day could not have been the success it was without the assistance of the CFMEU Qld and NT Branch, Officials and delegates who assisted us with ticket orders and selling Raffle Tickets.

So a BIG THANK YOU to all involved.

Race 1 Sponsors - Turner Freeman CFMEU Girls


10Blake Eastern - 1st prize

Trailer of goodsRussell Goerg - 2nd Prize

Flight Centre VoucherTim Moulton - 3rd Prize

Gift Cards

Wheelbarrow Race

Samantha Lumsden - Winner of the 10th Anniversary Raffle

Mens Fashions on the Field Contestant

Ladies Fashions on the Field Contestant


THE SOCIETY AT WORK

Aug 1 – Beta Sigma Phi Charity Lunch (Trish Ramsay, Bev Robertson and Pat Cini)

July 8 – Warwick Morning Tea (Bill and Sandra Dunn, Mary Hopkins and Gail Rielly)

July 8 – Warwick Morning Tea

July 28 – Rockhampton Morning TeaJune 24 – Darwin ShowJune 23 – Darwin Morning Tea

August 10 – Logan Morning TeaJuly 26 – Townsville Morning TeaJuly 25 – Cairns Morning Tea

July 27 – Mackay Morning Tea (Lorna and Ron Bowers, Fred Wright & Merv

and Hedy Carmody)July 27 – Mackay Morning Tea


Aug 1 – Beta Sigma Phi Charity Lunch (Trish Ramsay, Bev Robertson and Pat Cini)

July 28 – Rockhampton Morning Tea

August 10 – Logan Morning Tea

August 31 – Redlands Morning TeaJuly 27 – Mackay Morning Tea

(Lorna and Ron Bowers, Fred Wright & Merv and Hedy Carmody)

August 9 – Beaudesert Morning Tea

July 28 – Rockhampton Morning Tea (Dennis and Marie Johnson)

August 10 – Logan Morning Tea (Pat Cini, John Passlow, Helen Field and Bev Robertson)

August 31 - Redlands Morning Tea

Support Those Who Support The Society

Corporate Sponsors

The contact details for all of our corporate sponsors and corporate members are available by ringing

the ADSS office on 1800 776 412

Donation NowADSS is an endorsed charity (ABN 29 150 479 514).

Donations of $2.00 or more are tax deductible.We thank all members for their ongoing support.

AMWU

Asbestos Industry Association

CFMEU – Mining & Energy Division

DOTS Allied Health Services Pty Ltd

Gumdale Demoltion Pty Ltd

Office of Industrial Relations

Plumbers Union QLD

Queensland Council of Unions

Queensland Nurses & Midwifes Union

Shine Lawyers

Thunderbird Demolition

X Vend

United Voice

Corporate Members

Thanks to QLD Health for providing funding to ADSS to help carry on our services.

Spring 2017 NEWSLETTER · Gold Coast 5 October Brisbane City / AGM 18 October Gladstone 24 October Bundaberg 25 October Hervey Bay/Maryborough 26 October Gympie 27 October Ecumenical

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