Mesothelioma Claims the Life of Father and Son, Family Holds Fundraiser

The family of a father and son who both passed away from mesothelioma is holding a fundraiser to raise money for mesothelioma research through a charity they began after the passing of their loved ones.

Harry Gray, 67, and his 45-year-old son Stephen both died after they were diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The Gray family then founded the Harry and Stephen Gray Mesothelioma Snowdrop Memorial Fund, and have already raised more than $16,000 to be donated toward mesothelioma research.

The family is hosting another fundraising event on June 27, 2009, the two-year anniversary of Stephen’s passing. Carole Orton, Stephen’s sister, noted the event will be “about remembrance while also raising money for the charity and raising awareness.”

Though mesothelioma is unknown by many, Orton notes the importance of raising money for causes that receive less attention, stating, “People often raise funds for bigger charities and forget the smaller ones like ourselves, but this is a very important cause. This is just a little charity and we try to do our best to make people aware of this.”

The event will feature a live band, raffles and a myriad of activities. Tickets may be purchased for $4.89.

In addition to raising money, increasing awareness about mesothelioma and mesothelioma causes is an important part of the event. Orton, an auxiliary nurse, said Teesside, the area in England where the Gray family resides, “is a very industrial place, so mesothelioma is a very serious problem.”

Mesothelioma develops when asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body where they can become lodged in the lining of several body cavities, causing inflammation, infection and cancerous cell growth. Harry passed away in 2003 after working with asbestos-containing products as a lagger in the shipping industry. Stephen was exposed to asbestos while working in power stations.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 4:22 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.