Community topics
Written by: Lu Nuojun
2020-09-26 12:00
Last update date: 2020-09-26 12:00
Asbestos is a hard, fire-resistant, and corrosion-resistant material. In the past, it was widely used in construction, manufacturing and shipping industries all over the world. Hong Kong is no exception. Some old buildings are used in cages, canopies or roof structures. There are often corrugated asbestos tiles made of asbestos.
However, long-term inhalation of asbestos may cause serious diseases, and mesothelioma is one of them.
Mesothelioma has a long incubation period and is difficult to treat. According to figures, only about 16 people in Hong Kong have this rare cancer.
In the early years, the World Health Organization listed asbestos as a first-class carcinogen, and Hong Kong has now completely banned the import, transshipment, supply and use of all types of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials.
But even so, some existing buildings over 30 years old may still have asbestos residue.
The Lung Dust Mutual Aid Association hopes to arouse public attention to mesothelioma patients by responding to the International Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Mesothelioma is a benign or malignant disease arising from the cells of the pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma. The formation of malignant pleural mesothelioma or exposure to asbestos due to work has a lot to do with it, but there are also suspected cases of community infection.
According to the information of the Hospital Authority, there were 232 mesothelioma cases in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2015. According to the information provided by the Lung Dust Mutual Aid Association, there are only about 16 mesothelioma patients.
Li Peiyun, 67 years old, used to work as a garment worker and later worked in a nursing home for the elderly. After retiring in recent years, he has been busy taking care of his family and grandchildren.
She said that in the past, she had always had the habit of running and doing exercise, but in 2017, one day when she was running as usual, she felt "sufficient" and breathless. Later, she felt breathless even when she walked daily. It was normal and uncomfortable. But after taking the lungs, the doctor wrote me to the hospital. It turned out that I had severe pulmonary hydrops."
Ms. Li said that she did not know if or where she was exposed to asbestos, nor did she understand why she contracted mesothelioma.
(Photo by Lu Nuojun)
The lungs are full of oncologists who say the operation is too difficult, only chemotherapy
Ms. Li recalled that at the time, the doctor took the water for laboratory tests and said that the water was inflamed. Later, it was discovered that the water had soaked half of the lung, and there were many tumors in the lung. Even the doctor was surprised.
"Doctors do not have to do surgery, because it is too difficult to remove the lung membrane and bury one side of the lung. It is too difficult to do chemotherapy." So she completed 6 chemotherapy sessions and her condition improved slightly, but as soon as the cancer cells were stopped. Active again.
At present, she still has to go to Queen Mary Hospital for consolidation treatment every week. Although she has side effects such as diarrhea and oral vulnerability, she is fortunate that the drugs currently used are in the government subsidy program and there is no drug resistance. Otherwise, she may need Switch to expensive immunotherapy.
"I really have no idea (where I was exposed to asbestos) and I have no experience in the construction industry. The doctor asked me if I had lived in an old building, because I had lived in a resettlement area before." Ms. Li said that she felt complicated and complicated after being sick. Helpless, described as "accepting while not accepting."
But now, even if she receives chemotherapy regularly, it only treats the symptoms but not the root cause, and cannot cure her condition. Repeatedly going to the hospital for blood draws and examinations is very torturous. Steroid drugs also make her blood sugar difficult to control.
However, Ms. Li thinks that she is very lucky. "Seeing some people who tried many medicines, they couldn't get it. The doctors once told me that I had half a year to 4 months left. It seems that I have already made a profit."
Some old buildings built before the 1980s may still have asbestos residues.
Asbestos-containing materials do not pose a threat to health under normal conditions.
However, if disturbed, the exposed asbestos materials will release fine asbestos fibers that can float in the air for a long time.
Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious diseases.
(Information Picture/Photo by Wu Zhongkun)
Asbestos materials are still left in old buildings. Anyone has a chance of getting mesothelioma
Feng Kaishan, project manager of the Lung Dust Mutual Aid Association, pointed out that many old buildings in Hong Kong still have asbestos residues. Even if they are not in the construction industry or other workers who may be directly exposed to asbestos, the public may still be infected in the community.
Feng said that there are currently only about 16 mesothelioma patients in Hong Kong, and some patients can’t actually be connected. The scary thing is that no matter how and when they get the disease, anyone has the chance to get it; The Pneumoconiosis Compensation Foundation provides assistance to patients, but generally speaking, due to the high difficulty of surgery and treatment, it is difficult for patients to bear medical expenses and other expenses. Therefore, it hopes to arouse more attention and awareness of mesothelioma in the society.
Every September 26th is the International Mesothelioma Awareness Day. This year, the Lung Dust Mutual Aid Association is also the first time in Hong Kong to launch a response activity.
The meeting called on the public to download the International Mesothelioma Attention Day logo on social platforms and change them to personal avatars on social platforms, hoping to use the power of the community to deepen everyone’s understanding of mesothelioma and at the same time pass on mesothelioma information To the people around you.
Please donate to support the medical expenses of patients with rare cancer of mesothelioma, and support the treatment needs of patients in surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and taking dart target drugs.
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