This year we have chosen East of England Asbestos as our chosen charity and here’s why:

• The potential of many undiagnosed mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-related lung conditions due to the impact of COVID-19;
• The positive influence a patient support group such as East of England Asbestos can have on people dealing with an asbestos-related diagnosis;
• The charity supports and promotes awareness of asbestos-exposure conditions that Team MLA encounter with potential claims/clients;
• Our ethos and core values align with East of England’s beliefs and mission to improve the quality of life of people affected by severe asbestos-related illness by, but not limited to:
• Fundraising for a Mesothelioma UK specialist nurse in Norfolk and Suffolk
• Signposting to local healthcare professionals across the East of England region
• Working to support likeminded asbestos charities
• Holistic and emotional support

How we plan to support –

MLA has been providing Industrial and Occupational Disease medical reporting services for over 30 years and is one of the UK’s undisputed industry-leading specialists in this arena.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos-related diseases often take decades to develop but once diagnosed, sadly, the average life expectancy can be 12 to 21 months, so a late diagnosis adds additional stresses to clients who may, as a result, have limited time to get their affairs in order.

Unfortunately, one of the many after-effects of COVID-19, we believe will be an influx of Industrial Disease claims, mesothelioma in particular, and as such, we felt it prudent to launch an ID campaign raising awareness around mesothelioma.

We believe many people will have developed mesothelioma symptoms during the lockdown, and with the subsequent NHS backlogs, diagnoses will have been delayed, which alone has the potential to be catastrophic for many clients and their families.

We plan to fundraise for East of England Asbestos with our very own keen runner, Julie Usher, taking part in the ‘Couch to 5k’ initiative, with other fundraising ideas in the pipeline as we speak!

Currently recovering from injury, Julie will be sharing weekly updates on her progress once fully fit!

To find out more about our chosen charity, visit the East of England Asbestos contact page here.