Here's Simon Bolton, the Regional Mesothelioma Clinical Nurse Specialist, presenting recently in France in his role as Chief Investigator into a study looking to improve research access for the condition.

Simon's post is funded by the charity Mesothelioma UK and he’s based at CHFT. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related, rare cancer with around 2,700 cases diagnosed in the UK every year. Simon works closely with the region's lung cancer multidisciplinary team to support patients and carers affected.

He recently visited France to present at the International Mesothelioma Interest Group to launch a research project called ‘Improving Research Access for Mesothelioma Patients’ as he's the Chief Investigator on the study.

The study aims to improve access to clinical trials for people with this type of cancer by learning about the barriers faced by patients. It's also to understand what would make it easier for health care professionals to open mesothelioma trials in our region. The study is funded by The Mavis Nye Foundation and will be sponsored by CHFT working with The University of Sheffield.

After returning to the UK, Simon hosted an event in Leeds where several speakers highlighted the dangers of asbestos in public buildings. Simon said: "The event provided an opportunity for people affected by this asbestos-related cancer to hear about the importance of eradicating asbestos from our public buildings."