REAL LIVES Wonder women
Unite’s Paula Walker and her fight for victims of the fatal fibre
Justice fighter BY HELEN HAGUE
Every five hours, someone in the UK dies from the mesothelioma, the lung cancer caused by exposure to tiny asbestos fibres. This grim disease can develop as many as 40 years after exposure to asbestos fibres. This grim statistic shows just how important it is for sufferers to get the help and support they deserve. And one helper is South Yorkshire Unite member Paula Walkerwho has been honoured with the prestigious Robert Tressell Award, for her work on behalf of asbestos victims.
The award is given annually by the construction safety committee for outstanding commitment and service to working people, campaigning for better working conditions and helping those who’ve been injured or suffering from disease.
Paula, development worker with South Yorkshire asbestos victims support group, SARAG, certainly fits the bill. She is also a founder member, and current membership secretary, of the asbestos victims support groups’ forum UK. The
collective clout of the forum “allows us to punch above our weight” when lobbying government and seeking justice for asbestos victims.
Paula says it was an “honour” to accept the award. But, as someone who fights shy of personal glory, she was very firm. “I accept this on behalf of all of the users of our group. We are a group; it’s not about one person. It’s everybody’s courage and effort that’s being recognised.”
SARAG, a voluntary organisation and registered charity, provides confidential advice, help and support to people suffering from asbestos-related diseases and their carers. It works with asbestos victims throughout South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire. Unite branches in Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster are among union donors.
Paula is a strong believer in “standing alongside people” when they receive the devastating diagnosis, which the group provides, including home visits, and
24 uniteWORKS May/June 2013
helping them pin down exactly where they were exposed to the disease, tracking employment history. There has been no legal aid for personal injuries since 2000.
She also champions reading out the names of those who die from asbestos related diseases in public places, to both honour their memory and help raise awareness. “They deserve to be remembered,” says Paula, “and sufferers who have not yet contacted the charity could be alerted.”
Many elderly, vulnerable former workers afflicted by disease face isolation and poverty, she says. Last year, SARAG saw a 23 per cent increase in service users diagnosed with
asbestos-related
conditions. Experts predict a rapid rise in the diagnosis of asbestos-related diseases over the next few years – the legacy of its widespread use in heavy industry.
It’s certainly good to know that Paula and her committed colleagues are on hand to offer crucial support.
Mark Harvey
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