A woman died from a rare asbestos-related cancer decades after she may have been exposed while washing her husband’s work clothes, her family have said.
Veronica Kidman, 72, who lived in Epping with her husband Ian during the 1970s and 1980s, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January and died just a week later.
Her family believes she was exposed to asbestos fibres brought home on Ian’s dusty overalls while he worked as a BT field engineer across London and Essex between 1971 and 1989.
They are now appealing for information from anyone who worked at telephone exchanges in Chingford, Leytonstone, Mile End or Walthamstow, where Ian was based, as they try to understand how the exposure occurred.
Before her death, Veronica recalled regularly hand-washing her husband’s work clothes several times a week after he returned home covered in “a great deal of dust”.
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Ian’s job involved visiting homes, businesses and repair centres to fix telephone and switchboard faults.
His family fear he may have worked in buildings containing asbestos-lagged pipes or handled asbestos-containing materials during installations.
Daughter Becky Irwing, 41, said the family had little time to come to terms with the diagnosis.
“Mum was always cheerful and full of energy,” she said.
“She loved keeping busy, going to classes and walking locally.
“We barely had time to process her diagnosis before she was sadly taken from us.
“I know dad would have been devastated to learn that his work may have contributed to mum’s illness.
“It wasn’t his fault – like so many others, he should have been properly protected.”
The couple married in November 1977 and lived in Epping before later moving away from Essex.
Ian died in 2014.
Veronica began experiencing symptoms around two years before her diagnosis, including abdominal pain, fatigue and bloating.
After multiple hospital visits late last year, a scan in December revealed a mass, and she was diagnosed with mesothelioma on January 8.
She died on January 15.
Her family are now supporting awareness efforts around Action Mesothelioma Day, warning of the ongoing risks of asbestos exposure.
Natalia Rushworth-White, an asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said cases linked to “secondary exposure” – such as washing contaminated clothing – were increasingly being seen.
“While many people associate asbestos with heavy industry, its use was widespread across workplaces and public buildings, including sites people in Essex and East London would have accessed daily,” she said.
“Asbestos continues to pose a very real risk, and this case is a stark reminder of the legacy it has left.”
A BT Group spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear about the passing of Mrs Kidman.
"We have not received any legal claim from Mrs Kidman’s family, so it would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
