HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY
The Society was founded on 17 November 1992 and originally had 35 members.
The Society currently has about 1,000 members including about 700 members who are sufferers of asbestos related diseases. The balance is made up of widows, family members and carers of those who suffer from and who have died of asbestos disease, medical practitioners, politicians and interested persons. Some members of the Society are those who have been exposed to asbestos but as yet have not been diagnosed with asbestos disease but who live with the fear of contracting such disease. Since its founding approximately 320 members of the Society have died of asbestos disease. Unfortunately, the Society loses many members each year due to asbestos disease. The Society has grown significantly since its foundation in 1992.
The Society is a purely non-profit organization. No member of the Society is paid for the services that he or she provides.
The President of the Society is Mrs Shirley White OAM. Shirley has received the following awards for her work and support of those suffering from asbestos disease on behalf of the Society:
1. The Australian Lung Foundation Certificate of Appreciation which was awarded on 16 May 1997
to Shirley White in appreciation of outstanding services to patient support in Queensland.
2. Rotary International Community Service Award – awarded in 1997.
3. Certificate of Recognition from the Rotary Club of Balmoral Inc on 29 September 1997 recognising the
invaluable service to the community by Shirley White in the area of Community Welfare. This was presented
at the 1997 Community Service Awards.
4. AMA Award of Distinction awarded to Shirley White on 12 June 1998 in recognition of Shirley’s longstanding interest and support for the high ideals of the medical profession and service to humanity in the area
of asbestos disease.
5. Order of Australia on 26 January 2003.
6. Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award on 15 February 2008.
AIMS OF THE SOCIETY
The Society’s primary purpose is:
- to help and provide support to victims of asbestos related disease, their carers, families and friends.
- to promote awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure especially given the large amounts of asbestos
still present in our environment.
To achieve its aim the Society:
- provides emotional support to victims of asbestos disease through home and hospital visits, telephone
calls and meetings between members;
- has an established network of members, social workers, doctors and nurses to whom the Society can direct sufferers of asbestos disease;
- meets and consults with government members and members of the health profession to ensure sufferers of asbestos disease receive the best possible care and treatment;
- has regular contact with similar organizations in Australia such as the Asbestos Disease Foundation of Australia (ADFA);
- hosts an Ecumenical Service each year in Brisbane on National Asbestos Awareness Day which provides some comfort to members;
- provides support to sufferers of asbestos disease, their families, friends and carers in anyway possible.
The Society is affiliated with:
Worksafe Queensland, the Australian Lung Foundation, Australian Manufacturer Workers Union, Australian Workers Union, Communication Electrician and Plumbers Union and the Asbestos Disease Foundation of Australia.
The relationships developed with these organisations has increased the effectiveness of the Society.
We are the only organization in Queensland supporting sufferers of asbestos disease.