AS a painter and decorator Tony MacGregor often came into contact with asbestos – but it was not until decades later that he realised the consequences.
He was diagnosed with mesothelioma last May and little more than a year later the cancer had claimed his life.
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Mr MacGregor was just 69 when he passed away last month but his wife Pat wants others to be aware of the disease so they can spot the signs.
Mr MacGregor had been feeling generally unwell for a while before he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, suffering breathlessness and tiredness.
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He had undergone a triple heart bypass back in 2007 and the symptoms seemed at odds with having already having had the procedure, so further investigations were carried out and the mesothelioma was diagnosed.
The cancer affects the thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos - but takes 30 to 40 years to develop.
In 2011, some 1,771 people were diagnosed with mesothelioma nationally – more than double the number in 2006, when there were 768 cases.
Mr MacGregor's family believe it probably stems from his time as a painter and decorator mixing the solution for textured ceilings.
From his diagnosis Mr MacGregor's condition stayed relatively stable, with no signs of the cancer spreading or growing, but he suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Mr and Mrs MacGregor, who married in March, had been away for the weekend when he started to feel unwell and they went to Frenchay Hospital on their return, which is where he died.
"The mesothelioma started to invade the heart, which meant that it became so over-worked that it just couldn't cope," she said. "It happened over such a short period of time and you cannot always take on board what is happening - and then it hits you like a battering ram that things have changed quite rapidly."
Mr MacGregor's son Andrew said: "There was the initial shock at the diagnosis and at that point, 12 to 14 months seemed like quite a long time. Then, six months on, we didn't see much of a change and they kept saying he was stable. But then things changed and it happened within 48 hours.
Mrs MacGregor is a member of Bristol and Beyond Asbestos Family Support, where people affected by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses share their experiences and promote awareness.
She said: "This disease affects so many people and not only those in construction - it is also car mechanics and not just those who worked in industry.
"We became involved with the charity when Tony was diagnosed, after hearing about it through the hospital. It is nice to meet up, because it is not all doom and gloom. It is about talking to people and finding out how they are progressing."
For more information about the charity visit the website www.bristol asbestossupport.co.uk.
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