A former joiner was forced to spend more than a month in a Greek hospital after falling gravely ill with symptoms linked to asbestos-related cancer. Now John Shaw, from Durham, has appealed to his former workmates to come forward with any information that may help him secure compensation to help fund his treatment. The 85-year-old was abroad with his wife, Mary, when his health suddenly deteriorated last September.
He was admitted to a hospital on the island of Crete, where he received urgent medical care for symptoms including severe coughing and breathlessness. After three weeks in a hospital on Crete, Mr Shaw was able to secure a return flight home, with an attending nurse. He was taken straight from the airport to hospital, where, following a series of tests, Mr Shaw received the devastating news that he was suffering from mesothelioma, an incurable cancer attributed to occupational exposure to asbestos, which often takes place decades before symptoms arise.
He has since undergone chemotherapy but needs to receive regular immunotherapy treatment, which is not available to him on the NHS, to extend his life expectancy. Following his diagnosis, Mr Shaw instructed asbestos-related disease experts at Thompsons Solicitors through his union membership with Unite to help him determine when and where he was exposed to asbestos and to secure compensation that will help him fund the care that he needs. His legal team, led by Stuart Latham, is now looking to speak to anyone who may .
