Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients :
• Bernie Banton, an Australian workers' rights activist, fought a long battle for compensation from James Hardie after he contracted mesothelioma after working for that company. He claimed James Hardie knew of the dangers of asbestos before he began work with the substance making insulation for power stations.
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| Society and Culture Sufferers of Mesothelioma |
Mesothelioma eventually took his life along with his brothers' and hundreds of James Hardie workers'. James Hardie made an undisclosed settlement with Banton only when his mesothelioma had reached its final stages and he was expected to have no more than 48 hours to live. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd mentioned Banton's extended struggle in his acceptance speech after winning the 2007 Australian federal election.
