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On Friday 1st July asbestos victims’ groups, MPs, local Civic Dignitaries, bereaved family members, mesothelioma victims, nurses, doctors, and campaigners will assemble around the UK to remember all those men and women who have lost their lives to the asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. The Manchester event will be held at Lincoln Square (Manchester, M2 5LF at 12 Noon. The Lincoln Square event commemorates those who have died from mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. The event is also being held to push for justice for all asbestos victims and to call for the removal of asbestos from our schools, workplaces, and homes. Local MPs will address the Action Mesothelioma Day rally, organised by the Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group, and the event will end with a release of doves by family members who have lost a loved one to the asbestos-related disease. Several landmarks will be lit up blue that evening to commemorate the thousands of people who have already died from this disease in the biggest long-term industrial catastrophe in this country’s history. What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. Action Mesothelioma Day is a day when we gather to remember all those who have lost their lives to asbestos disease, and to campaign for justice for all asbestos victims. Around 40,000 men and women have died of mesothelioma since the UK asbestos ban in 1999. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates a similar number will die over the next 20 year.
Mesothelioma takes 20-60 years to develop following exposure to asbestos so, although no longer imported or used, asbestos is still a problem for for some time to come. Many public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, workplaces and homes still have asbestos in the fabric of the building, posing risks of exposure to future generations unless safely removed. This is not a legacy problem. People are dying today from this disease and thousands more will die before the epidemic plays out, unless a cure or improved treatments are discovered.
The charity have seen a marked increase in the past 2 months of sufferers with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos and all the other asbestos related diseases including asbestosis, asbestos related pleural thickening and asbestos related lung cancer. Speaking about the Liverpool event that she will be attending, Professor Coulson from the University of Liverpool's Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology said: “It is an honour to be invited to talk at this year’s Merseyside’s Action Mesothelioma Day, and I am looking forward to sharing our research ideas with the attendees.”
John Flanagan, Support Officer for the Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group who organised the local event said:
The Barrow office has provided expertise with experienced staff in fast tracking claims for people with these insidious diseases.” He added: “I call on the government to think again about all the DWP offices they are closing and in particular Barrow. People on Merseyside are still suffering the dire legacy of our industrial past with many factories and the local shipbuilding industry having used asbestos for decades before its banning in 1999, People think these diseases are in the past, well I can tell you we still have over 5,000 deaths per year from the deadly dust.” Source: MAVS Press Release / GMAVS Press Release / Rochdale News
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The day will include information stalls, raffles and Professor Judy Coulson University of Liverpool speaking on research and Alison Hassall from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre speaking on the support for patients. 
The HSE statistics on deaths through asbestos related illness, can be downloaded from the Unionsafety E-Library by using the keyword 'Mesothelioma' or 'Asbestos' to search for relevant documents: or by searching the Category 'Asbestos' to select and download documents about the disease and the issues around it. 
The registered charity, Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support have organised the day with stakeholders who help patients and their families.
I am very concerned at the planned closure of 41 DWP offices around the country and in particular the Barrow in Furness DWP office which provides patients suffering with the asbestos related terminal conditions of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos and asbestos related lung cancer vital welfare benefits and a government lump sum.