More Than £10,000 Presented To The Prince Of Wales Hospice

A hospice in Pontefract has been given a funding boost of over £10,000 following a donation made towards care received by a patient prior to his death from asbestos-related cancer.

Graham Makin from Wakefield died on 28 December 2017 at the age of 73 following a diagnosis of mesothelioma, which is a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos dust and fibres decades ago.

Prior to his death, Graham instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at national firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate his illness and how he could have come into contact with the hazardous substance.  It was found that he was most likely to have been exposed to asbestos while working for Northern Gas Networks, which was known as North Eastern Gas Board and British Gas as a gas fitter and later as a trainer.

After he died, Graham’s wife Laraine continued to work with his legal team, and two years later they successfully secured a settlement from the company and its insurers.

In addition, they were also able to recover costs of more than £10,000 for The Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract, where Graham was cared for before he passed away.

A landmark legal judgment secured in a previous case by Irwin Mitchell allows for the costs of care to be recovered during a claim for asbestos exposure.  As a result, The Prince of Wales Hospice has been presented with a cheque for £11,095 as a contribution towards the care provided to Graham during his last months.

Expert Opinion

“Hospices are so very important to ensure that people are cared for during their last days, and to also support the families who are going through terribly difficult times.

Mesothelioma is a horrible disease to be diagnosed with, and Laraine always spoke about how The Prince of Wales Hospice did a great job in making Graham as comfortable as possible towards the end of his life.

It was particularly difficult for Laraine and the rest of Graham’s family as he was in the hospice during Christmas, but the staff made sure he was cared for. The Castleford Tigers also paid a visit, which gave them something to enjoy at such a difficult time.

Being able to make this donation to the hospice helps Graham’s family say thank you and goes a long way in helping others in the future.”
Nicola Handley - Senior Associate Solicitor

Graham first began to feel unwell in August 2016 and was referred for further investigation.  He was due to go on holiday with Laraine at this time and had to cancel it at very short notice. 

The results of the investigation led to Graham being diagnosed with mesothelioma in October that year. 

Despite undergoing six sessions of chemotherapy, Graham, who was still working prior to his diagnosis, quickly deteriorated before his death in December 2017.

Laraine said: “Two years on, we still miss Graham terribly.  It was really difficult to have to watch him suffer the way he did towards the end of his life.

“He was such a loving husband, dad and grandad, and our lives haven’t been the same since we lost him.

“Even though nothing will bring him back, we are grateful to be able to give something back and say thank you to the hospice for all the care and support they provided.  We hope the money will help other families going through what we have.”

Sharon Batty, head of Income Generation at the hospice said: “We are touched that Graham and his family thought so highly of the care he received at the hospice that they wanted to make this generous donation to support care for future patients and their families.

"We remember the Castleford Tigers visit well, and we are thrilled it brightened Graham’s day. At the hospice, we thrive to make each day matter, and we are pleased that we were able to provide comfort at such a difficult time.”

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