Lawyers And Parish Councillor’s Relatives Support Action Mesothelioma Day

The family of a former gas engineer and parish councillor are appealing to his ex-workmates for help following his death from asbestos-related cancer.

John Chapman, from Strensall, York, died from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Wife and daughter call on asbestos-related disease lawyers to investigate dad’s illness

Following John’s death aged 77, his wife, Joyce Chapman, 78 and daughter Jane Thorn, 52 instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his illness and if it was linked to his work history.

Ahead of this year’s Action Mesothelioma Day on 5 July, Joyce and Jane have now joined with their legal team to appeal to any of John’s former workmates to come forward with information on the working conditions he would have faced.

They are looking to trace anyone who worked with John while he was employed at North Eastern Gas from 1961 to 1981; the North East Gas Board from 1981 to 1986 and British Gas Northern Eastern, from 1987 to 1996.

Oliver Collett is the expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell supporting Joyce and Jane

Expert Opinion

“John’s family are understandably still coming to terms with his death.

“We continue to see too many families torn apart by asbestos-related diseases and the devastation they cause.

“While nothing can bring John back we’re determined to support Joyce and Jane in their search for answers on how he came to be exposed to the asbestos that claimed his life.

“This year’s Action Mesothelioma Day is an opportunity to highlight the loss of people like John and to appeal to his former workmates with any information they may have. The family are keen to hear from anyone who knew John and their knowledge could be key to giving the family the closure they deserve.” Oliver Collett

Mesothelioma: John’s story

Prior to his death, John told Joyce that he believed he may have been exposed to asbestos. This included working with boards and on pipework which may have contained the hazardous material. John would also work on boilers and there would be a considerable amount of dust and debris generated from working alongside these materials.

John met his wife Joyce at school and they married in 1959. They were childhood sweethearts.

The couple had one daughter, Jane Louise Thorn.  Jane and her husband Stephen Thorn have been married since 1992, Stephen was like an adopted son to John.

John loved spending time with his 2 granddaughters, Lucy 21, and Pheobe, 18.

John had many hobbies and interests, which included birdwatching and holidays in the UK and abroad. He was very fond of journeys by rail and steam trains in particular. He was into classic motorbikes and loved gardening and making things in his garages. John was passionate about wildlife and protecting habitats and made everything from bat boxes to bird and bee houses.

Following his retirement, John was also a well-known local figure and did a lot of work with the parish council in Strensall, including planning for open spaces and children’s playgrounds.

John had always enjoyed good health until he noticed he was unexpectedly losing weight in 2020. John started coughing which by March 2022, developed into breathlessness.

John’s condition continued to deteriorate. He diagnosed with mesothelioma in November 2022 and he died on 16 December 2022 with Joyce and Jane by his side.

John’s wife pays tribute to an amazing husband and dad

Joyce said: “It’s still so hard for Jane and I to accept that John is gone. Even now, his loss still hasn’t really sunk in. Looking back the weight loss was a warning sign that something wasn’t right and as the cough developed the following year, he went downhill from there.

“John was a strong man but it was terrible to see him suffer in those final months. No one deserves that, particularly not a wonderful man like John.

“John was an amazing husband and dad. He loved his job but was passionate about so much in life and was committed to making things better where he could.

“John had a selflessness that you don’t find often and his death has left us heartbroken. He was still relatively young and I thought we had so much more time together.

“He was too ill by the end to do anything about his diagnosis it but if any of his former workmates could give us their recollections it would allow us to have answers and allow a good man who was taken far too soon to rest in peace.”

Anyone with information that could help Joyce and Jane is asked to contact Oliver Collett at Irwin Mitchell on 0113 3946784 or by email at Oliver.Collett@Irwinmitchell.com

Held every year, Action Mesothelioma Day brings together victims of the disease, those who have loved ones affected, healthcare professionals, support groups and those working to understand mesothelioma and find a cure. The day aims to ensure the public are also aware of the terrible impact mesothelioma can have on sufferers and their carers.

Find out more about our expertise in handling asbestos-related disease cases at the dedicated section on our website. Alternatively, to speak to an expert, contact us or call 0808 271 9815.