A dad of two who used to work on Merseyside is currently trying to find out when he came into contact with asbestos after he was diagnosed with asbestos-caused cancer last year.
Michael Collier was a "healthy" 79-year-old who would regularly exercise 12 months ago, with him often travelling with his wife Cynthia, going on walks and playing golf, but now he is often breathless as he battles his terminal diagnosis. Michael was diagnosed with mesothelioma in the summer of last year when he started getting breathless suddenly.
He went to his GP who then referred him to hospital where an x-ray discovered that he needed urgent attention with him needing 1.5 litres of fluid drained from next to his lungs. In the days that followed Michael had a further four litres of fluid drained from next to his lungs.
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A biopsy confirmed the worst, a terminal diagnosis that originates from exposure to asbestos, although the deadly cancer only starts showing symptoms up to 40 years after being in contact with the poisonous material. Michael worked for Birkenhead County Borough Council between 1971 and 1973, Mersey Regional Health Authority as Treasurer between 1978 and 1985 and held a senior position at Liverpool Health Authority between 1985 and 1990, and is appealing for others who may have a similar diagnosis and worked at these places to come forward.
Michael, who lives in West Riding in Yorkshire, told the ECHO : "It's come as a blow and completely out of the blue. Physically, I'm doing everything I can to prolong my life as much as possible. I'm exercising and doing that type of thing but there is an inevitability of it.
"It's not just about the effect on me, it's the effect on my wife and family."
Michael is now working with solicitors to find others like him so he can pinpoint when he came into contact with the cancer-causing material. He said: "I'm working with the solicitors to look to see where I might have encountered asbestos and make a claim on my behalf.
"The solicitors and my oncologist have said that they've come across cases of doctors and even teachers, people who have worked in public service buildings, who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma."
Charlie Bradley of Thompsons Solicitors’ Leeds office, said: “Michael worked at these organisations for such a large part of his career. It is so important that anyone who worked with him comes forward to help get the answers he and his family are so desperate for.”
Anyone with information that could help Mr Collier with his claim should contact Charlie Bradley at Thompsons Solicitors on CharlieBradley@thompsons.law.co.uk or phone 0113 205 6385.
NHS England and Wirral Council were approached for comment.
