“When I got the invitation from the Alwoodley Allsorts Community Group”, said Lee, “I just put it in my diary and forgot about it. But when they told me that it was going to be held in my Dad’s former church (where he married me and my wife Clare), I realised I needed to talk about him and his death. It was lovely to see so many people there from my teenager years. We had lots of laughs as I told of my exploits and we had tears too as I shared about my Dad’s sudden illness and death. My Dad was a good man and we aren’t bitter about what happened, we just want to help as many people as we can through awareness and support. I’m really proud of the work that my Mum does and of the excellent June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund (JHMRF). We were glad to raise £250 on the evening too.”

Leeds speaker and author Lee Jackson was recently invited to speak to a community group in Alwoodley. But instead of doing one of his ‘motivational’ talks he changed tack and decided to speak about his life growing up in Leeds and his father’s sudden death from Mesothelioma. Lee decided to use the talk, to many of his father’s former parishioners, to raise awareness and money for the JHMRF for research into this rare disease.

Rev. Peter Jackson who died in 2006 was a much loved vicar in Alwoodley and Holbeck, Leeds. Just after his retirement, and all ready to see his granddaughters grow up, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. After feeling slightly unwell he died only three months later from this rare and aggressive form of cancer. He developed the disease over 40 years after being exposed to asbestos when he was an electrician in the chemical industry in Teesside.

Peter’s widow Avril continues today to help other widows of this terrible disease through the M.A.R.C. (Mesothelioma And Related Concerns) support group and also helps out at St Gemma’s Hospice.