Month: January 2020

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A Diary Of A Mesowarrior Living With #Mesothelioma #asbestos 12KBW hosted a talk on Asbestos In Talc

On Friday I had an invitation to join a talk on a subject Im so interested in –

Talc & Asbestos: What’s going on?

12KBW is hosting a seminar on talcum powder and asbestos.

Chaired by Harry Steinberg QC, a team of lawyers and experts from the US and the Asbestos Team at 12KBW will discuss recent scientific, medical and legal developments in the US, including the Johnson & Johnson cases, and ask what relevance they have to claimants in the UK.

It was at Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ which Ray and I found just behind the Bank Of England. We had never been up the side roads here even though we had passed it many times from the Bank Underground.

We found Drapers’ Hall and met up with other friends that were joining in.

Let me give you a short history of this building that took our breath away.

As the trading activities of the guilds expanded, members required a Hall where they could meet to discuss and co-ordinate business. At first, they used individuals’ houses but in the 1420s the Drapers’ guild decided to build its own Hall. This first Hall was in St. Swithin’s Lane.

The present Hall, situated in Throgmorton Street, was bought from King Henry VIII in 1543 for the sum of 1,800 marks (approximately £1,200). This had been the house of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex and Chief Minister to Henry, but had been forfeited to the King on Cromwell’s execution in July 1540.

Destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666, Drapers’ Hall was rebuilt between 1667 and 1671 to designs by Edward Jarman. In 1772, it was again rebuilt after a fire which did considerable damage and, in the 1860s, the frontage was changed and the interior altered by Herbert Williams. It was later altered once more in 1898-9 by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson.

So we all sat down and at last I was listening to the truth about Asbestos in Talc. Lawyers and Doctors from the US and the cases they have bought to court and won.
Its not just Johnson and Johnson it is the brands that the US sold that was mined in China and surprisingly Australia.
Boots Coty and Avon are on the list. A whole list is being put together and when I can get my hands on that I will share.

But the use talc in the industry as well. Malt, animal feed and all sorts of dry foods. T

Talc is also used in food processing, and to make some supplements, pharmaceutical pills, chewing gum and polished rice. Consumer groups have also found it in crayons and children’s toys, like crime-scene fingerprint kits.

Talc was routinely applied to surgical gloves and condoms until the 1990s, when the Food and Drug Administration told manufacturers to stop using it because of health concerns.

Talc is used in many cosmetics: lipstick, mascara, face powder, blush, eye shadow, foundation and even children’s makeup. In the list of ingredients, it can be listed as talc, talcum or talcum powder, cosmetic talc or magnesium silicate. Talc is added to cosmetics to create a silky feel and absorb moisture. Some brands make talc-free cosmetics.

Pediatricians have been warning parents for decades not to use powder on babies because of the risk a child will inhale or aspirate talc, which can cause choking and coughing and lead to respiratory illness or chronic disease and lung damage. This has nothing to do with asbestos.

Cases of babies dying from choking on powder were reported as early as the 1960s, and since 1981, the American Academy of Pediatrics has taken a strong position against the use of talc on babies and children, saying it is hazardous and has no medicinal value.

The F.D.A. last tested talc products in 2010 and found no asbestos, but it was provided raw talc from only four suppliers and tested only 24 commercial products. Experts who have analyzed talc on behalf of plaintiffs suing Johnson & Johnson say they have detected asbestos in talc products.

The F.D.A. does not test cosmetics for safety. With the exception of color additives, neither makeup nor any of its ingredients require the agency’s approval. The agency says it takes the possible presence of asbestos in cosmetics very seriously, but that manufacturers and marketers are responsible for their safety.

It points to voluntary standards set by the manufacturers’ trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, which declared in 1976 that all talc products should be free of asbestos. The council has no way of enforcing the standard. but now it is reported the FDA want a more uniformed Standard so things are changing all the time.

Ovarian Cancer was spoken about as well so it seem Talcum Powder has a lot to answer for its just proving it and how many of us keep tins of Talc to get tested and  to be able to prove this was how we was contaminated.

It turns out that if the talc can be proved to come from the US then we in the Uk can bring a case to court, there seems to be so many pitfalls and I fear some cases will be thrown out of court. Its a case of watch this space. Although we in the UK have been testing it correct but the US hasnt and its been taken serious since 1900 and 1942 they found asbestos in miners lungs. 1957/1958 J&J found asbestos in Italian Talc. 1968 it was found in 22 cosmetics,1970 CTFA  Reports that using corn starch was to costly,1973 Federal Government bought out a testing Standard ———- So once again we patients have been lied too.

After a meet up with all the friends and shared drinks and snacks we said our goodbyes. Thank you 12KBW the Speakers were so informative and the subject just so fascinating  it has fired me up and I feel I can now add this to my Presentations its about time we did talked about Asbestos in Talc

 

 

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A Diary of A Mesowarrior Living With #Mesothelioma #asbestos — Oh my! I can eat all the fatty and all the foods I like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday we had to travel to the Marsden in horrendous wind and rain but we made it ok.

My weight drop is now causing concern so an appointment was made with the dietitian.

It is hard when I cant eat meat anymore I find swallowing hard so everything is being cut up like Im a baby but Im going for soft foods and Vegetarian so much tastier

I was given made up drinks that are fortified  and I didnt like any of them so I now have ones that I make up with powder and milk so I will try those.

I have a water infection that they are growing and I must up my intake of fluids.

I have said I hate water but was told that any fluid can be counted except coffee as that is a diuretic. Thats music to my ears and so Im drinking other milk shakes and a Strawberry cordial. That means though the journey to the Marsden this week being longer I have to dash into the toilets when we arrive as a 2 hour journey my bladder is full. Goodness what I will do if I get into a longer traffic queue. ha! ha!

So this is my life this week – getting up at 6, on the road before 7 to get my injection each day BUT a bonus that I can eat trifle, Quiche,chips, cream, full fat milk. So alien to me that has been under Weight Watchers on and off since I was 25.

Monday is my scan day so Scanexity is underway because if the result is slow growing I could be taken off the Hyper Trial. They might offer something else but dread they say Palliative Care. I wont accept that I will hunt out a new trial somewhere this old bird will not give in.

https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/your-care/living-and-beyond-cancer/eating-well 

Eating well

There may be times during your cancer treatment when you are unable to eat well. Losing weight or having a reduced food intake can make it more difficult for you to cope with treatments like surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

During these times you may need to change the balance of your diet to include different foods. It may also be helpful to alter when or how often you eat to make sure you try to eat enough. These may be short-term or long-term changes depending on your treatment and health.

What foods should I try to eat?

We should all try to eat a wide variety of different foods to make sure we get the nutrition our bodies need.

Meat, fish, eggs, tofu, soya products, pulses (beans and lentils), Quorn, nuts

These are a good source of protein, which is needed for the growth of body tissue, muscle strength and wound healing. Some also contain fat, so are a good source of energy (calories). They also contain vitamins and minerals.

Dairy products (such as cheese, milk, yoghurt and fromage frais) and non-dairy alternatives (such as soya milk and soya yoghurt)

These contain protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. If you are losing weight choose the full-fat varieties. If eating non-dairy alternatives choose those that are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Sugar, honey, syrup, treacle and sugary foods, such as chocolate, cakes and sweets

These are good sources of energy.

Butter, margarine, oil, ghee and cream

These are good sources of energy and contain fat-soluble vitamins.

Fruit and vegetables

These are a good source of vitamins and minerals, but not usually of protein and energy. If you have a poor appetite you may need to reduce your normal quantities to enable you to eat higher energy foods.

Drinks

Aim to drink eight to ten cups or glasses each day. If you have a poor appetite choose nourishing drinks rather than just tea, coffee or water.

Are there any foods I should avoid?

When you are ill or having treatment you are more at risk of getting food poisoning. It is best to avoid the following foods:

  • raw or lightly cooked eggs
  • soft, ripened cheese (like Brie or Camembert) or blue-veined cheese (like Stilton)
  • pâté

Good food hygiene is also important.

Already following a different diet?

If you are already following a diet for other health reasons you may wish to discuss this with a dietitian.

Find out more

Further information can be found in this section of the website and in the Eating Well booklet, available to download as a PDF below in or by contacting the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

https://www.mavisnyefoundation.com/my-donate-page.html       Donate Page

All our Books https://www.mavisnyefoundation.com/our-books.html

 

 

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A Diary Of A Mesowarrior Living With #Mesothelioma #asbestos —Well what a sad start to 2020

When you think you cant be shocked anymore and then a story like pops up

Lisa Anderson, 44, of Paignton, Devon, has revealed she is addicted to eating Johnson’s Baby Powder – and can eat an entire 200g tub (pictured, 500g) in just a day

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7856679/Mother-reveals-addiction-eating-Johnsons-Baby-Powder.html?ito=social-facebook&fbclid=IwAR2_XUA0gOJQclGGeV5MJGay4yskewUeWS7d4y7C5lFMyXmCFkK05NhTMW0 

As you can guess the mesowarriors in my groups are so shocked. We feel she is mocking us. I keep waiting for some one to say its false news.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we find out Isobel Gall has lost her battle with Mesothelioma made it even worse.

A heartbroken family has paid tribute to a ‘bright’ and ‘clever’ Walsall bus driver who tragically died from cancer at just 29.

Isobel Gall’s devastated dad, Roger, has spoken of his pain after her death on New Year’s Eve (December 31) following a two-year battle with Mesothelioma.

She was a lovely happy person that joined in with the younger mesowarriors she will be missed.

So that was the start of our New Year and makes us even more determined to make people asbestos aware.

Today I had a Podcast interview which was different. I will share when published.

We have had the first MNfoundation Board Meeting yesterday. Our train was packed but the underground was quiet which made a change.

The meeting was great with lots of plans made for 2020. We planned a event for June so when that is all put together I will report to you and invite . Love planning its good to look ahead.

I have had phone calls and more plans of conferences are coming together which is making January very busy at the moment.

But next week is treatment every week but the 21st is a scan appointment. That could be bad news so we will have to wait and see.

The weather has been very mild if a little wet and windy but we are so lucky when you watch all about Australia

We have had Mesothelioma warriors caught up in all that sadness. They have been keep us in the know. So much smoke and heat I just dont know how they are surviving.

We send our love and hugs xx

Happy New year and i hope 2020 begins to get better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Update on Isobel as a newspaper report has come out today

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/2020/01/10/bus-driver-may-have-been-exposed-to-asbestos-before-cancer-diagnosis/

She died on New Year’s Eve after being diagnosed with mesothelioma on August 2018.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, according to the NHS

The inquest heard Ms Gall may have been exposed to asbestos earlier on in life.

However the coroner’s office said this could not be proven. As a result coroner Joanne Lee listed her cause of death as 1A, mesothelioma.

Ms Gall, from Brownhills, worked for National Express West Midlands’ Walsall garage since 2015.

She was the first-ever female driver to win the National Express UK Bus Driver of the Year competition in July 2018 after beating more than 250 colleagues.

National Express West Midlands dedicated a Platinum Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 double decker bus – fleet number 6725 – to Isobel last year after she became ill.

Phil Bowen, operations manager at National Express West Midlands, paid tribute to Isobel as an “excellent driver and very well liked member of the team.”

 

Was Talcum Powder the cause ?? we will never know RIP Isobell you will be so sadly missed xx