Warn ex-sailors about asbestos, dying veteran urges military

[284_226]

Warn ex-sailors about asbestos, dying veteran urges military

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2007/03/06/asbestos-ships.html

(reproduced here under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act)

The federal government should warn former navy sailors that they may have been exposed to dangerous amounts of asbestos on military ships, says a veteran who is dying of lung cancer.

Doctors for Harvey Friesen, who lives in Ladner, B.C., said he likely developed the cancer as a result of the two years he served in the 1960s on HMCS New Glasgow, a frigate based in Nova Scotia.

The ship's pipes were sprayed, wrapped and insulated in asbestos, a construction material that has been linked to cancer and lung disease.

Veterans Affairs Canada compensated Friesen by more than $100,000 for his exposure and subsequent illness.

Friesen said the federal agency should be warning other navy veterans that they are at risk for disease.

"Everyone who served on there was exposed to asbestos," Friesen said Tuesday. "It certainly was a secret to me, and I'm sure to many other servicemen, that there was help available."

The government should also be helping the veterans get screened with chest X-rays, he said. If they are ill, the veterans should be encouraged to seek compensation, Friesen said.

An estimated 18,000 people may have been exposed to asbestos, which was used on military ships between the Second World War and the 1970s.

Difficult to track exposure: Veterans Canada

A spokeswoman for Veterans Canada said it would be difficult to find out which veterans served on ships that used asbestos.

"Unfortunately we can't do that: we don't know in the case of a particular ship who served on it or where they might be living today," said Janice Summerby.

"Generally we rely on veterans organizations to spread the word."

Summerby encouraged any veterans who have illnesses that they think may be related to their service to contact Veterans Canada. She said there was no deadline to apply for compensation.

Friesen urged veterans to get screened.

"Get a chest X-ray on a yearly basis to make sure if you have cancer, you catch it early."

Speaking as someone whose father passed away as a direct result of asbestos exposure during his Naval service in the 1950's, this should be a wake up call for any naval veterans from that period - get yourselves checked out.

 

[63 Delta]

Not just ex-Navy types. My father is now sick with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a lung disease just as ugly and deadly as lung cancer. He was an electrician in the Air Force in the 1950s and 60's. He has told me stories of how he had to plunge through asbestos fire walls to get at electrical equipment. He was just denied compensation by Veterans Affairs Canada as the Fibrosis has been declared Idiopathic (meaning no  known cause). Hiss only option is to appeal, but appeals take forever, and he could die at anytime. We have been advised by the lawyer representing him for VAC, that when he dies an autopsy should be ordered to find out if there is any asbestos in the lungs. If there is then compensation is almost assured. But whats the point if the person its for has passed away.

I know for my father personally that the Fibrosis came in slowly and was unoticeable. It started as wheezing and coughing with a shortness of breath. Finally it was diagnosed, but really late in the game. So if anyone knows a relative or friend who may have been exposed, make sure you talk to a doctor about it and the symptoms surronding asbestosis related diseases.

 

[284_226]

HULK_011, I know exactly what you're going through.  My father was asymptomatic (as far as we knew) in Jan '01, started suffering outward symptoms (much like you described) in June, and was diagnosed in Sept '01 - and then was given four to eight weeks to live.  He died 31 Oct 01, and it was the most horrible, painful death I'd ever seen.  If he wasn't hallucinating from the Dilaudid, he was in agony from the pain.

In early '02, he too was denied compensation from VAC on the initial application, which we made in Sept '01.  We appealed shortly afterwards, mostly because of the survivor benefit for my mother.  We had found out that VAC hadn't even bothered to obtain reports from the radiologist in considering the first application.  On appeal, he was posthumously awarded a 100% disability pension with corresponding survivor benefit to my mother.

As you said, if someone thinks they've been exposed, they should get themselves to a doctor right away so that diagnosis can be done.

 

[GUNS]

Why is the Government and VA so tight fisted when it comes to the health concerns of its veterans? All these medical conditions that are related to service in the CF are been stonewalled. It took years for the Government to offer compensation to Suffield soldiers. Soldiers of the spray program in Gagetown are still fighting for compensation. These new medical conditions related to service in the Navy and Air Force are yet another problem for veterans that the Government will take the "slow march" in solving.

Government has payed out billions upon billions to HIV victims, Native school abuse victims, Falsely accused victims and many more but if you wore a uniform, forget it.

Why the disparity?

 

[3rd Herd]

Not only ex sailors. While trying to eak out a living doing my first undergrad a friend obtained the contract to do the removal of contaminants from PMQ's and various other buildings around Royal Roads. He asked myself as he figured running around in NCBW suits all day was an excellent prerequisite. I view that as just another era of the accountants doing there best job possible will the others deal with out. As for why the tight fisted ability of VAC, one none have served, most regulations and studies are 20 to 50 years out of date. Most mid level and I suspect senior VAC obtained their position through political action on behalf of their political parties beginning in 1969 with good 'ole' Pierre at the helm. I also suspect looking through some of the bio's of some of these people the civil service "family compact" filled in the positions that were still available after political patronage was done. Lastly, most of us the served know how hard it is to get rid of a "heavily entrenched enemy".

Part of this problem falls right on our shoulders though. Somewhat in the realm of psychology in that after years in the service being conditioned not offer a political opinion upon release many are still conditioned in this regard. A look at some of the recent surveys in regard to the percent of veterans and the percent that actually get out and vote is amazing. In talking to a couple of people in this area it seems one of the biggest demographical groups has been our WW2 vets. This I tend to agree with simply due to the education levels of WW2 vets verses those of the late cold war era. This also plays into some of the VAC's rehab plans for vets.

 

[alfie]

Check with the Canadian Injured Worker Alliance, they can connect you with a local or provincial group who can provide information on asbestos disease and how they argue claims at the respective wcb. Although not the same for forces personnel as far as regulatory agency the material(diagnosis, test, latency periods and arguments) are the same and will help you build your case for VAC