13 Nov 2025

Asbestos Awareness Month: Awareness, Advocacy, and Early Advice

Although asbestos use was banned decades ago, the legacy of exposure continues to emerge in our hospitals and cancer care settings. November is Asbestos Awareness Month - a timely reminder that asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis remain very real health concerns.

For many affected patients, the disease surfaces decades after their initial exposure, often long after they’ve left the workplaces or environments where that exposure occurred.

The nurse’s role in awareness and advocacy

Cancer nurses are often among the first health professionals to recognise the potential connection between a patient’s diagnosis and a history of occupational or environmental asbestos exposure. Understanding this link and initiating discussions about possible exposure can be life-changing for patients and their families - not only for their medical journey but also for their access to broader support.

Early recognition and advocacy can ensure patients are provided access to legal support and education regarding their rights and the services available to them – which can result in financial security and justice.

Why legal advice matters — and why timing is critical

For patients diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses, timely legal advice is just as essential as timely medical treatment. Many patients are entitled to compensation through government compensation schemes or civil claims related to workplace or secondary exposure. These entitlements can assist with treatment costs, in-home care, and financial stability for loved ones.

However, there is a crucial time factor: under current laws, the largest component of compensation - for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life - cannot be claimed after the patient has passed away. This makes early referral to specialist lawyers critical while patients are still alive to make a claim. With over 35 years’ experience, Slater and Gordon has one of the largest and most experienced asbestos teams in Australia.

Working together for better outcomes

As trusted advocates, nurses can play a key role in connecting patients and families with the right legal professionals early in their diagnosis. Encouraging these conversations - sensitively and with compassion - ensures that patients receive the full support, recognition, and compensation they deserve.

By combining medical, psychosocial, and legal advocacy, we can all help patients navigate one of the most challenging times of their lives with dignity and confidence.

This Asbestos Awareness Month, let’s continue to champion: