Popi's plea over hospital asbestos

Kalliopi Copley (66) believes she may have come into contact with deadly asbestos in hospitals she worked in during the sixties and seventies.

As a result, she has been diagnosed as suffering from mesothelioma, an incurable asbestos-related disease.

Mrs Copley, known as Popi, from Wickersley, believes she may ahve come into contact with asbestos while working a trainee nurse at Moorgate Hospital in Rotherham and Doncaster Gate Hospital, part of the Rotherham School of Nursing, from 1966 to 1969, while major refurbishment work was being carried out.

She also came into contact with it at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital, where she was a matron for 16 years.

Ms Copley is now undergoing radiotherapy and has instructed specialist industrial disease lawyers Irwin Mitchell to help her find out how asbestos was used at the hospitals.

Ms Copley, who retired in 2001 said: “It’s devastating to think that I’m suffering from this dreadful illness simply because I went to work every day about 40 years ago.

“I had to walk past the refurbishment work every day but I was never warned that asbestos was being used or how dangerous it is.

“I remember contractors and maintenance men removing ceiling tiles, working on the pipe work in ceiling voids and opening up ducts in the floor area, which created a lot of dust.

“I was absolutely distraught when I was told I had mesothelioma and because I’ve worked in the NHS I’m aware the prognosis isn’t good.

“Thankfully the cancer isn’t as aggressive as it could be but I’ve become quite breathless and need to take things slowly, which is frustrating for me as I’ve always been so independent.”

Anyone with information should contact Martyn Hayward at Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield office on 0114 2744420 or email [email protected].