'I could be angry with the world but I just want to celebrate life'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A former joiner diagnosed with deadly cancer in his lung lining after being exposed to asbestos in the 1970s has told how he wants to 'celebrate life'.

Malcolm Ledgar, 64, worked as an apprentice joiner for a building company located in Cheshire when he was 15 in 1975, saying he frequently worked around asbestos but at that time, “nobody knew how bad” it was.

Years later, and following the death of one of his former workmates to suspected asbestosis, Malcolm had regular X-rays to ensure his lungs were healthy and clear – when in September 2024 he began to notice a “little, annoying ache” under his right ribs.

After having an X-ray and a subsequent CT scan, Malcolm was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2024, a type of cancer which is usually linked with asbestos exposure.