Asbestos stories

BACKGROUND These stories were taken from creative writing project "A Working Woman's Disease" and edited to meet the requirements of the Australian Asbestos Network website. While asbestos is banned in Australia, it is still mined and used in manufacture in Russia, Africa, South America and Asia. Campaigners continue to work to raise awareness of its dangers, to eradicate the mineral from the built environment, to empower and secure compensation for disease sufferers, and to identify disease treatments and a cure. Asbestos remains the focus of a wide range of academic researchers. CONTRIBUTION The AAN project looks at creative ways of addressing complex issues relating to dust diseases. These are the stories of two women who died from mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos unintentionally by other people. Glenda and Margaret hoped that sharing their experiences of asbestos-related disease would make a difference in the campaign to raise awareness of the risks, and to prevent other people becoming ill. Similar stories continue to be published in mainstream and academic fora. For example RMIT doctoral candidate Angela Di Pasquale is researching "The role of the Wittenoom Asbestos mine in the lives and deaths of Italian transnational workers." SIGNIFICANCE The website brings together historical, public health and medical information about asbestos. Its aim has been to assemble information authenticated by experts and independent of commercial interest. By telling the story of asbestos in Australia, the AAN hopes to increase community understanding of asbestos and its legacy, and to provide information to try to reduce future risk.