A CLYDEBANK man whose dad died from mesothelioma has welcomed a new £2.1m cancer research grant aimed at solving why it can take decades for exposure to the fibrous mineral to develop into cancer.

Noel Hynes’ father Patrick - who spent part of his life working in local shipyards - started to feel breathless in 2017.

Patrick's health steadily worsened until he was diagnosed with the condition in October 2018. 

He died in May 2020, aged 91.

Now Noel, who volunteers with the Clydebank Asbestos Group, has supported plans by Cancer Research UK to investigate the reasons why the fatal disease can lie dormant for years before being diagnosed.

He said: “My dad worked on the shipyards for three or four years in the late 1950s and early 60s. He was working with concrete at the docks, and other workers were breaking up sheets of asbestos next to him, which caused a white dust.

“They were all breathing it in, with no masks or protection back then – in those days they just got on with it.”

After leaving the shipyard, Patrick continued to work with concrete, later working as a lorry driver and latterly helping at his son’s bus company. But he never worked with asbestos again.

Noel continued: “He was an active man all his life. He never had a lie in and even after retirement would work in my brother’s garage five or six days a week, just helping out.

“It was difficult to see someone so strong and active struggling to breathe.

“It’s terrible to see what asbestos does.

“To see my dad, who hardly missed a day of work in his life, and never complained, suffering with pain was just heartbreaking for the family to watch. He was such a strong, brave man.”

Cancer Research UK has awarded £2.1m to a team of researchers in Glasgow and Cambridge to help unlock answers to the questions of what happens in the decades between initial exposure to asbestos and diagnosis.

According to the charity, the UK currently has the highest incidence of mesothelioma per capita worldwide, with the disease more prevalent in men due to occupation-related exposure.

Rates are significantly higher in the west of Scotland than then Scottish average, with around half of the 200 new cases diagnosed in Scotland each year being in the west of the country.

Asbestos was used in many heavy industries in the west of Scotland between 1950 and 1980.

After the health effects of exposure to asbestos became known, the first laws prohibiting the use of the material were introduced in 1985 - but it wasn't fully banned in the UK until 1999, and it's thought that as many as half of all homes built before 1999 may still contain asbestos.

Rachel Gallagher, the Clydebank Asbestos Group's co-ordinator, said: “News of this research funding is extremely welcome asdespite its ban, asbestos-related diseases continue to affect a significant number of people.

“Clydebank’s legacy of heavy industry and prevalent use of asbestos means we continue to support newly diagnosed patients at Clydebank Asbestos Group from across a wide range of demographics and employment histories.

“The latency period between exposure and onset of disease not only poses a heightened health risk but can create significant challenges when it comes to seeking accountability and justice for those affected."

Cancer Research UK’s executive director of research and innovation, Dr Iain Foulkes, said: “Nearly half a century ago, Cancer Research UK scientists added to the understanding of just how dangerous asbestos could be.

“This research helped change health and safety regulations, reducing workers’ exposure to this deadly substance.

“Over the last two decades, Cancer Research UK-funded research has delivered progress in treating mesothelioma.

“New treatments that harness the immune system to attack mesothelioma are coming through, thanks to the hard work of researchers and generosity of our supporters.

“But the long and painful legacy of asbestos use is still sadly being felt today. Survival remains poor and we need better ways to catch mesothelioma earlier.

“That’s why we’re funding more research to develop our understanding of this disease and make an even greater difference for patients.”

Mesothelioma, which currently has a very poor survival rate, most commonly starts in layers of tissue covering the lungs, usually following the inhalation of asbestos fibres, and can take more than 40 years to develop.