Mesothelioma Medical

 Feb 7 2007

A recent trail heard that a man from Hereford passed away after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Robert Wilfred Dando of Mostyn Street, Whitecross, had died of mesothelioma on 11th September last year when he was 73. He was an employee of Cadbury for 30 years who was exposed to asbestos while working in Ireland for a Cadbury factory.

David Halpern, the Coroner in charge, recorded a verdict of asbestos exposure. "Often when we look back to find out when that exposure would have happened, many years have passed. In this case, we do have an indication of when and where it came about," he said.

According to Pathologist Dr Joe Segan, Robert's death was due to lung cancer and bronchial pneumonia caused by mesothelioma. The only known reason for this deadly disease is exposure to asbestos.

"We took samples of Mr Dando's lungs for analysis and asbestos fibres were found," he said, "The exposure was likely to have happened in industrial circumstances and would not have occurred naturally."

Robert Wilfred Dando started his career as an apprentice for Cadbury who was later promoted to a supervisor and then to a manager. His overall career was for 30 years for the Cadbury factory.

David Danto, the older brother of Robert Danto told, "Robert told me that he had been exposed to asbestos while working at a Cadbury factory in Ireland when he was supervising some building work.He said the site was covered in dust from asbestos cladding on pipe work." David was not present at the trial.

The statement from Robert's widow also points to this. "Robert had mentioned that asbestos had been present in the Leominster Cadbury factory when he worked there," she said.