Back last winter my Gran got a cough, a cough that wouldn't go away and that made her short of breath. This got worse. In the end they discovered water around her lungs which she had removed. The water was blood stained and from there it was suspected it was a form of cancer called Mesothelioma and that this was a form of cancer at this stage they couldn't treat. 

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is related to asbestos exposure with more than 80% of the cases having this exposure in common. This form of cancer is particularly horrible and unfortunately treatments are only really there to either prolong your life or make you more comfortable rather than being treatments to cure a person. For instance, having your lungs drained of fluid anywhere between every day and once a week. 

To conclude I thought I'd end with some facts:

• As of 2013 125 million people have been exposed to asbestos at work. 
• Worldwide in 2013 50,000 people had Mesothelioma. In the same year 34,000 people died from it. 
• Closer to home in 2011 2,600 people were diagnosed with the disease, in 2012 2,400 died of the disease. 
• The median survival time once diagnosed is 12 months.

And now the facts on Mesothelioma UK

• Based at the University Hospitals of Leicester Glenfield site.
• National specialist resource center dedicated to giving specialist mesothelioma information, support, education and improving the care and treatment for all mesothelioma patients and their carers.
• Integrates with the NHS front line to make sure nursing is available at the time of need done by a growing network of Mesothelioma specialist nurses. 
• These nurses are regionally based in NHS hospitals but paid for by the charity.