A former boxing champion has lost his life due to exposure to asbestos. Now the family of William O’Rourke is fighting for asbestos awareness in order to honor the memory of the deceased. William O’Rourke was a former boxing champion who was in great health even in his later years. Even in his mid-70s he was still physically fit and able to do 30 pushups a day. But by the time he was 77, the healthy former athlete was dead. He died only 10 days after being diagnosed with a lung cancer that was caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos can also cause asbestosis and mesothelioma.

O’Rourke was exposed to asbestos during the 1970s and 1980s, when he was working as a builder of homes. Now, O’Rourke’s surviving family has joined together to demand that the UK government provide better support for those suffering from asbestos-related diseases. The O’Rourke family has backed the Mirror newspaper’s campaign for a national register of public building which contained the deadly material. O’Rourke’s daughter Colette told reporters that her father suffered in his final days. "He was in dreadful pain. It was awful to watch. Months before his death, he was very active. We thought he was invincible."

A coroner’s inquest has ruled that O’Rourke’s death was caused by pneumonia that was brought about by his lung cancer. His two children are considering taking legal action against their father’s former employers. Asbestos-related deaths are expected to increase in the next decade in the UK, as well as in the rest of the world.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.