Press release 18th March 2013 –

Contact: Lee Jackson 0113 2170081 email lee (at) leejackson.org:

Leeds Vicars son speaks out about his fathers asbestos death.

 

 “When I got the invitation from the Alwoodley Allsorts community group” said Lee “I

just put it in my diary and forgot about it. But when they told me that it was going to

be held in my Dad’s former church (where he married me and my wife Clare) I

realised I needed to talk about him and his death” Lee says “It was lovely to see so

many people there from my teenager years. We had lots of laughs as I told of my

exploits and we had tears too as I shared about my Dad’s sudden illness and death.

My Dad was a good man and we aren’t bitter about what happened, we just want to

help as many people as we can through awareness and support. I’m really proud of

the work that my Mum does and of the excellent June Hancock fund. We were glad

to raise £250 on the evening too.”

 

Leeds speaker and author Lee Jackson was recently invited to speak to a

community group in Alwoodley. But instead of doing one of his ‘motivational’ talks he

changed tack and decided to speak about his life growing up in Leeds and his

father’s sudden death from Mesothelioma (an asbestos-related cancer).

Lee decided to use the talk, to many of his father’s former parishioners,

to raise awareness and money for the June Hancock Fund for research into this rare disease.

 

Rev. Peter Jackson who died in 2006 was a much loved vicar in Alwoodley and

Holbeck, Leeds. Just after his retirement, and all ready to see his granddaughters

grow up, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. After feeling slightly unwell he died

only three months later from this rare and aggressive form of cancer. He developed

the disease over 40 years after being exposed to asbestos when he was an

electrician in the chemical industry in Teesside.

 

Peter’s widow Avril continues today to help other widows of this terrible disease

through the M.A.R.C. (Mesothelioma And Related Concerns) support group

and also helps out at St Gemma’s Hospice.

 

Definition:

Mesothelioma (also known as ‘diffuse’ or ‘malignant’ mesothelioma) is a relatively

rare form of cancer which affects the membraneous lining of the chest (the pleura)

and, less commonly, the lining of the abdomen (the peritoneum). The disease can

take 10 – 50 years (or even longer) to develop and is usually associated with

asbestos exposure

 

More information on Mesothelioma can be found here – http://www.junehancockfund.org

 

Contact: Lee Jackson 0113 2170081

 

My press release and photos are here:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2395022/Lee%20Jackson%20June%20Hancock%20Fund%20Press%20Release%20180313.zip

I am available for interviews or if you’d like to chat please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for supporting this great cause,

Lee