Cheque Presented To Kirkwood Hospice Following Recovery Of Care Costs

A Kirklees hospice based in Huddersfield has received a boost to its funding after being presented with a cheque for more than £6,000 to cover the costs of care provided to a patient prior to his death from an asbestos-related cancer.

Derek Greenwood from Linthwaite died on 15 June 2017 at the age of 92 following a diagnosis of mesothelioma – a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs commonly associated with exposure to asbestos decades previously.

Derek was a widower following the death of his wife Beth in 2014, and during his final months he was cared for by his nieces, nephews, neighbours and friends.  Before his death, Derek instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his illness and how he could have been exposed to asbestos.

The investigation was continued by Derek’s nieces and nephews after he passed away, and the lawyers at Irwin Mitchell successfully secured a settlement for £92,250 from the insurers of TS Lawton & Sons Ltd after it was determined that Derek had been exposed to asbestos during his employment there between 1947 and 1960.

As part of the settlement, a landmark legal judgment secured in a previous case run by Irwin Mitchell allows for the costs of hospice care to be recovered from the employers liability insurers during a claim for asbestos exposure.  As a result, the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield has been presented with a cheque for £6,760 in reimbursement of the costs of providing care for Derek towards the end of his life.

Oliver Collett, a specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, paid a visit to Kirkwood Hospice on Monday, 10 June, to carry out the cheque presentation.

Expert Opinion

“Local hospices do a fantastic job in caring for people that are going through terribly difficult times, as well providing support for their families, and is great to be able to give something back to them.

Kirkwood Hospice cared for Derek during the last week of his life, and his family are grateful for everything that was done to make his time there as comfortable as possible. Managing to recover the costs is a way of them saying thank you.”
Oliver Collett - Partner

Sarah Shaw, Director of Clinical Services at Kirkwood Hospice, said: “We are so grateful to everyone involved in securing the recovery of our care costs.  This will help us to continue to provide care and support, which is so important to our patients and their families.

“Kirkwood Hospice provides specialist care, free of charge, to adults in Kirklees with advanced, progressive illnesses at any time from diagnosis to the end of life, respecting their individual needs and wishes. They also provide care for their family members, friends and carers, both during the illness and after death.

“We are here to support anyone affected by a life limiting illness, every step of the way."

Tony Edwards, Derek’s nephew-in-law, said: “It was so upsetting for us all to watch Derek lose his independence and deteriorate so quickly because of this horrendous disease.

“But we are all so thankful for all the support he received from family, friends and Kirkwood Hospice, and at least we have been able to give something back which will help future patients and their loved ones.”

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