Asbestos Research Fund    

Slater & Gordon ethos

For over 70 years, the guiding ethos of Slater & Gordon has been the promotion of social justice and fair access to the legal system for all Australians. These principles have decisively shaped the legal work that Slater & Gordon has accepted, the causes that Slater & Gordon has supported and the way that Slater & Gordon has conducted its own affairs.

It has seen Slater & Gordon take on some of Australia’s biggest companies and government at risk of its own survival to see the right thing done. It has also lead to Slater & Gordon establishing like minded charitable organisations.

The Asbestos Research Fund

In 2004, Slater & Gordon was proud to launch the Slater & Gordon Asbestos Research Fund. Slater & Gordon committed a minimum of $500,000 to the asbestos fund. Since that time approximately $500,000 has been donated from the asbestos fund to various health professionals and hospitals to advance the study of asbestos related diseases, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. Grants have included $150,000 to the Ballarat Cancer Research Centre, $60,000 to the Wesley Research Institute, Brisbane, over $70,000 to St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Melbourne, $57,605 to Austin Heath, Melbourne and $15,000 to the Perth Mesothelioma Group.

In January 2008, the Slater & Gordon Asbestos Research Fund received a generous donation of $200,000 from the estate of Tim Lacone. Tim was a client of Slater & Gordon’s who died of mesothelioma in June 2007. Tim wanted to leave money to asbestos related research to try and help others that may one day be faced with an asbestos related illness such as malignant mesothelioma.

On the back of Tim’s donation to the Asbestos fund, Slater & Gordon committed a further $300,000 to the Asbestos Research Fund taking the total value of the Asbestos Fund to one million dollars.

Objectives of the Asbestos Research Fund

The Asbestos Research Fund provides financial support for research into asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma as well as assistance to medical practitioners seeking to improve their knowledge and skills in this area of asbestos related diseases.

Already the Slater & Gordon Asbestos Fund has contributed to several important ongoing asbestos research initiatives, as well as providing financial assistance to a number of health professionals pursuing further educational opportunities, in the area of asbestos related disease.

The Asbestos Fund also sponsors an annual award of the Australian Lung Foundation, which acknowledges and supports research leadership in asbestos related disease.

The Asbestos Fund distributes a periodic newsletter, which contains up to the minute information about developments in asbestos related disease, as well as asbestos diagnosis and treatment.

The work of the Asbestos Fund is constantly evolving.

The Asbestos Funds most recent extensions include:

• providing financial support to enable sufferers of asbestos related diseases to access expensive medical treatments
• making ex gratia payments to sufferers of asbestos related diseases in financial hardship.

Slater & Gordon hopes that the work of the Asbestos Fund will continue, and that it will make a tangible contribution to improving the situation facing asbestos disease sufferers.

Asbestos Research Fund homepage: www.asbestosresearchfund.com.au

Asbestos Research Fund Vojakovic Fellowship brochure  cick here.

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