Lawyers Secure Settlement Assisting Charity In Asbestos-Related Cancer Research

A Leeds based national charity dedicated to asbestos cancer research has outlined how legacy awards are supporting victims of mesothelioma and how £200,000 of additional funds will make vital new research possible into a disease that currently has no cure.

The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund (JHMRF) is set to benefit from additional funds from the estate of Norman Rose, from Knaresborough, who died 65 on 27 April 2017 following a diagnosis of mesothelioma, a cancer of the pleural membrane surrounding the lungs which is associated with asbestos exposure.

Norman instructed asbestos related disease specialists in the Leeds office of Irwin Mitchell to investigate how he was exposed to asbestos, but sadly died before his case was concluded. His wife, Bernadette was devastated, and unexpectedly passed away on 28 June, 2017.

Following his terminal diagnosis, Norman also asked Irwin Mitchell to draw up a will for him and his wife that would leave their estate to the four charities closest to their heart and in addition to the JHMRF, included Mesothelioma UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Liver Trust.

The settlement, together with the additional funds allows the JHMRF to continue supporting ground-breaking research initiatives in accordance with Norman and Bernadette’s wishes. In February 2019, the JHMRF announced three new awards, one to study a rare variant of mesothelioma, another to promote patient involvement in research and a third targeting the development and progression of the disease.

The Rachel Dodds’ Award was the Fund’s first ever award for peritoneal mesothelioma. Led by Professor Marciniak and Dr Rassl at the University of Cambridge, the study will lay the foundation for future peritoneal mesothelioma research.

The pump-priming grant awarded to Dr Arber and Dr Marcu (University of Surrey) supports the development of research champions, promotes patient involvement in mesothelioma research and is helping to ensure patient priorities are considered when funding decisions are made.

A third grant in the charity’s 2019 funding round was awarded to Dr Hansen at the University of Edinburgh to support his study of the Hippo Pathway and its potential to provide a new approach to treatment, by targeting the development and progression of mesothelioma.

Expert Opinion

“I got to know Norman and Bernadette well, so I know they would be delighted with the research the JHMRF is able to support as a result of their will. It means a lot to have played a role in making their wishes a reality.

“All too often in my role, I see the devastating impact of asbestos-related disease and while settlement awards of this nature are not common, the sums involved are making a big difference to ongoing research efforts aimed at beating this terrible disease.”
Nicola Handley - Senior Associate Solicitor

Dr Kate Hill, Trustee of the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund, said: “Thanks to the efforts of Irwin Mitchell, the substantial legacy provided by Mr and Mrs Rose is supporting vital research that will lead to better treatments and improved care for patients with mesothelioma.

“In a disease like mesothelioma, where little or no core research funding is available, legacies provide a sustainable source of funds to support vital research to improve treatment and care for mesothelioma patients. Sustainable funding enables the development of new ideas and allows emerging findings to be pursued in order to achieve breakthroughs that could help to save lives in the future.

“The research projects we have supported over the last 22 years, have only been possible thanks to the generosity of those who have donated to the Fund, raised money in memory of loved ones or people like Norman and Bernadette who remembered the Fund in their will. We appreciate every donation because every pound contributes to our mission to beat mesothelioma.”

Action Mesothelioma Day 2020 will be marked despite the Covid-19 situation. The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund will host their annual AMD Meet the Researchers Event online on Friday 3^rd July 2020 from 1 pm to 3 pm. This event will provide patients and their families with an opportunity meet research groups from the Cambridge Institute of Medical Research and the Universities of Greenwich, Sheffield Hallam and Surrey.