UK’s youngest person to pass away from mesothelioma dies at 18 years old

Death a young age is always a tragedy. For the family of 18-year old Sophie Ellis of Great Britain, the passing of their loved one is especially hard. Ellis recently lost her five-year fight with mesothelioma cancer, making her the UK’s youngest person to die from the extremely aggressive asbestos-related disease.

At the age of 13, Sophie was diagnosed with the rare and inoperable form of cancer. With a latency period ranging between 20 and 50 years after asbestos exposure, most patients are diagnosed around the age of 60. The fact that Sophie was diagnosed at 13 is extremely rare.

While it is unknown how Sophie was exposed to the disease, medical professionals think asbestos was the cause since it is almost exclusively the culprit in all mesothelioma cases. Being exposed to asbestos as a young child significantly influences the early development of this form of cancer.

Asbestos was a very common material used in the shipyard, construction, manufacturing or automotive industries. The primary occupations that are at high risk of contracting mesothelioma include plumbers, electricians, roofers and painters.

In spite of the fact that her physicians gave her only a few short months left to live, Sophie defied the odds and lived another five years before succumbing to mesothelioma.

This U.S. Mesothelioma Report is brought to you by Mesothelioma News Now for mesothelioma attorneys and asbestos cancer lawyers.