A Canadian mesothelioma victim is lobbying his government to create a national registry of all asbestos-containing buildings.
After years of working as a food plant inspector in Saskatchewan, 59-year-old Howard Willems developed mesothelioma cancer. The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Through the creation of a registry, Willems hopes to prevent anyone else from suffering his fate.
The information provided by such a registry would allow people in industries like food inspection and building repair to know what to expect when entering a building.
“Something as simple as knowing and putting on a mask going into those scenarios could have prevented all of that,” said Willems.
Asbestos was widely used in building and insulation for much of the 20th century. When disturbed, the dust can be inhaled or swallowed. The barb-like fibers then imbed in the lungs or the stomach, and sometimes take decades to develop into cancer.
Discussing his inspection job, Willems said, “When the light hit the right way you could see the fibers in the air.”
Willems paints a disturbing image. We hope he is successful in his efforts, because the information he gathers could save many lives.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs, LLP – mesothelioma lawyers