Ryan Scandrett, whose wife Emily-Jane died at 42 from a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure, has vowed to continue her inspirational work. Emily-Jane Scandrett, from Sutton Coldfield, passed away on January 19 after a two-year battle with mesothelioma, a disease most often found in men over 75.
Diagnosis and Fundraising
Diagnosed at 40, Emily-Jane had no idea where she came into contact with asbestos. Despite this, she raised over £10,000 for Mesothelioma UK before her death. Now, her husband Ryan will join more than 40 walkers in the Hallow 12 Parish Challenge on July 11, a 27.5-mile hike around Worcestershire.
A Brutal Challenge
This will be Ryan's third time participating in the challenge, but the first since Emily's death. The 39-year-old said: "It's going to be emotional. I want to continue what Emily-Jane started. This challenge tests you mentally and physically. It's a brutal challenge, but the sense of achievement at the end is emotional."
Ryan emphasized the importance of raising awareness: "People think asbestos is an old man's disease and a thing of the past. But it's not. We're sending children to schools which might have asbestos. The government is not safely removing asbestos quickly enough."
Call for Action
Ryan is calling for an asbestos plan in public buildings, similar to fire plans. "We'd like an asbestos plan in those buildings to make people aware of where asbestos is. It's only fair people know somewhere like a school could be riddled with asbestos."
He added: "The more money raised, the more chance of a cure. We're broken and taking every day as it comes, but the more people realise where asbestos is and what it does, our government will be forced to do something eventually."
The challenge will raise funds for Mesothelioma UK and Edwards Trust, which provides bereavement support. Ryan concluded: "Emily-Jane did her best tirelessly campaigning, but she ran out of time. I'm going to continue with her campaign."
