Asbestos can be found in brick, weatherboard, clad and fibro homes behind wall and floor tiles, under floor coverings including carpets and, in walls, ceilings, roofs, gutters and even dog kennels. It could be anywhere.

Sadly, current research tells us that people are unknowingly exposing themselves and their families to dangerous asbestos fibres during home renovations, with popular television renovating programs fuelling the popularity of DIY.

November is Asbestos Awareness Month. Along with my fellow ambassadors Cherie Barber, Scott Cam, Barry Du Bois, John Jarratt and Scott McGregor, we hope to help save the lives of people like Mrs Carol Klintfält OAM, who tragically lost her battle with malignant mesothelioma on November 7 last year.

I had the great honour of knowing Carol through our work in raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos to home ownerss. 

Carol developed mesothelioma because she inhaled asbestos fibres when working with an architect and while handling fibro sheets when renovating the family home in the 1970s.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually develops somewhere between 20 to 50 years after inhaling asbestos fibres. There is no cure and the average survival time after diagnosis is only 10-12 months – a hard-hitting statistic none of us can ignore.

An extraordinary woman, Carol was more than a statistic. When she lost her battle with asbestos-related disease, her family lost a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister and many lost a very dear and special friend.

This family were no different to the hundreds and thousands of home owners throughout Australia. When they renovated their home, they didn’t know the dangers or that the impact of working with asbestos would be devastating. One in every three homes built or renovated before 1987 will contain asbestos products.

All Australians need to ‘Get to kNOw asbestos this NOvember’ and visit www.asbestosawareness.com.au to learn the dangers of asbestos and how to manage it safely because it’s not worth the risk.

On behalf of the Leukaemia Foundation and Victorian families affected by blood cancer, I would like to thank the local team behind Albury-Wodonga’s stunning Light the Night event on September 27.

For the first time in Light the Night’s eight-year history, almost 100 walks were organised in cities and towns across the country, giving more Australians the chance to shine this spring.

The success of the event at Wodonga Raiders Football and Netball Club, which raised over $6100 in vital funds, is a credit to the dedication and hard work of those community supporters, led by host Sue Odgers, who volunteered their efforts to make the night possible.

With a local attendance of more than 200 people, I would like to thank the community who participated by carrying a lantern and giving generously to the Albury-Wodonga walk. Your support will go a long way in helping to create a brighter future for people with blood cancer. You can continue support for Albury-Wodonga’s Light the Night by searching for and making a donation to community host Sue Odgers at lightthenight.org.au or by calling 1800 500 088.  

As the Leukaemia Foundation receives no ongoing government funding, we can’t thank you enough for helping to continue our important work.