Mum-Of-Two Died From Mesothelioma

The daughter of a woman from Pontefract who died from asbestos cancer is making a heartfelt plea to both of her parents’ former colleagues for information to help determine how her mother was exposed to asbestos dust.

Jean Sanders was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2020.  A terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs, mesothelioma is most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Following her diagnosis, she instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her illness and where her exposure to asbestos could have taken place.

Sadly, Jean died on 28 April 2020 aged 84 and her daughter Tracey is now continuing with the investigation alongside the legal team.  The family and their legal team are now appealing to both Jean’s and her late husband Malcolm Sanders’ former colleagues for details on how exposure to asbestos may have occurred.

In particular, information is being sought on the following companies that Malcolm worked for - Yorkshire Tar Distilleries and Plasmor who were both based in Knottingley, and Wilkinson’s Furniture/Wilkinson’s Cabinet Works located on Mill Dam Lane in Pontefract.  This is due to the fact that Jean believed she may have been exposed to asbestos dust as a result of washing her husband’s overalls.  During her lifetimes, she recalled Malcolm regularly coming home from work covered in dirt and dust and washing his clothing regularly.

Information is also being sought in relation to Jean’s former employers, namely W R Wilkinson & Co who later merged with Geo Bassett and Co Limited (now known as Tangerine Confectionery) and were based in Knottingley, and S R Gent, the large clothing manufacturer that had premises in Pontefract.

During her lifetime, Jean recalled working in the vicinity of pipework with asbestos lagging and also maintenance being undertaken to equipment whilst she worked.

Expert Opinion

“Since Jean died, the family has found it incredibly difficult to come to terms with her no longer being here, and what makes it worse is the unanswered questions they still have surrounding her death.

Through our work we come across many families devastated by asbestos many years after initial exposure has occurred.

Sadly, Jean was unable to recall some of the details regarding her working environments and how exposure to asbestos would have occurred. Jean was also unable to provide information in relation to her late husband’s working conditions after sadly losing him to cancer in 1993.

We would therefore be grateful if anyone who worked with him for any of these companies could come forward with any information that may help with our investigations.

Any detail, no matter how small, could prove vital.”
Nicola Handley - Senior Associate Solicitor

Malcolm Sanders worked for Yorkshire Tar Distilleries in the 1960’s and for Plasmor from approximately 1960/1970 to his retirement.

Jean worked for W R Wilkinson and Co in 1954 for approximately one year and later worked for S R Gent in 1983/1984.  Her daughter, Tracey believes her mother was employed at S R Gent as a final passer and may have been located in close proximity to Hoffman Presses that were known to contain asbestos.

Jean first developed a cough in April 2019.  She had to have a drain due to fluid on her lungs, and investigations commenced.  She was not told of the diagnosis of mesothelioma until nearly a year later in March 2020.

Tracey said: “When my mother died, the family was absolutely devastated.  Shortly after my mother’s condition started to deteriorate, the country went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  This made caring for mother particularly hard and also spending precious time with her due to her vulnerability because of the mesothelioma.

“Towards the end of her life, she lost a lot of weight and was receiving care at home.  However, eventually her condition deteriorated so much that she needed to receive full time care in a hospice.

“We are determined to honour her memory and get the answers she was seeking before she died.

“If anyone remembers working alongside either of my parents, Malcolm and Jean, and have any information that may help, I would be very grateful if you would get in touch.”

Anyone with information that may assist with this case is asked to contact Nicola Handley at 07711 345400 or by e-mail at Nicola.handley@irwinmitchell.com

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