Dust Disease Diaries: Real lives, real stories of asbestos & beyond

How do you cope with the shock of a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis?  In this episode of  Dust Disease Diaries , James O’Loghlin speaks with psychiatrist and mental health expert Professor Ian Hickie about the psychological impact of a dust disease diagnosis.   As co-hosts of the Minding Your Mind podcast that delves into all aspects of mental health, Ian and James are used to tackling the tou...

In this episode of  Dust Disease Diaries , we’re joined by Milly Heinnen, Head of Health Screening, Dust Diseases Care at icare, who shares how mobile lung health screening – the icare Lung Bus - is helping protect workers across NSW from asbestos and silica-related diseases. Milly explains the role of the Dust Diseases Care Scheme, how the new state-of-the-art Lung Bus launched in February 2025 i...

In this episode, we speak with Kirsten Mooney about the vital role specialist nurses play in supporting people diagnosed with mesothelioma, and the realities of delivering care across Western Australia. Trained in Edinburgh and now a Thoracic Cancer Clinical Nurse Consultant in WA, Kirsten sits down with James O’Loghlin to explain how specialist nurses guide patients from diagnosis through treatme...

“Nothing else in your body works unless the air gets through your lungs.” In this episode we explore one of the most significant public health milestones in Australia’s recent history: the launch of the  National Lung Cancer Screening Program  on  1 July 2025 , a program six years in the making, that offers free, bulk‑billed low‑dose CT scans for eligible high‑risk individuals aged 50–70.  In Octo...

NSW Minister The Hon. Penny Sharp, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage, explains what the NSW government is doing to manage the asbestos problem.  Asbestos was banned in Australia more than 20 years ago — so it would be nice to think it’s behind us. But it isn’t. From the  asbestos in mulch  crisis across Sydney in early 202...

What support is available in Western Australia for people and families impacted by a dust disease? A lot — and in this episode, host James O’Loghlin sits down with Melita Markey, CEO of the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA), to explore the unique landscape of Western Australia and the history and ongoing legacy of asbestos use in the state. Founded in 1979, ADSA has been woven into Mel...

In this episode of  Dust Disease Diaries , James O’Loghlin sits down with Amy O’Donnell, Clinical Nurse Consultant and the first lung cancer nurse at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, about why specialist nurses aren’t just important – they can change lives.    Supporting patients from the point of diagnosis and all the way through – it is the nurses that are uniquely positioned to provide both medical car...

In this episode, James O’Loghlin sits down with Heather Von St. James – a remarkable 20-year survivor of mesothelioma, research advocate, and author from Minnesota, USA. Heather was just 36, and a brand-new mum to a three-month-old baby, when she was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2005. Likely exposed through second-hand asbestos from her father’s work in construction and demolit...

Just this week, a new legal battle is taking place in Indonesia.  Activists who successfully secured a court ruling for mandatory labelling of asbestos-containing products as “Hazardous” are now facing defamation lawsuits from a global pro-asbestos lobby group representing some of the world’s largest asbestos producers, including those based in Russia and China. How can this happen? In this episod...

When a person receives a mesothelioma diagnosis, they are often desperately searching for answers. In today’s episode, James O’Loghlin sits down with Carmel Oostveen, one of the dedicated Mesothelioma Support Nurses at the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI), to explore the compassionate and complex world of supporting people affected by mesothelioma. Carmel shares her journey in...

In this episode, we speak with Shane Wormald, a road tunnelling and mining worker who has been diagnosed with Progressive Massive Fibrosis, Silicosis, COPD, and Rheumatoid Arthritis after a 30-year career in an industry he loves.   Shane was the first person in his field to publicly speak out on the dangers tunnel workers face working in incredibly dusty conditions, raising awareness of the deadly...

Each year, 4,000 Australians lose their lives to asbestos-related diseases—making it the leading killer of workers, not just in Australia but around the world. In Australia alone, an estimated 6 million tonnes of asbestos remains in the built environment. So, what happens when this material starts to break down? Additionally, around 600,000 Australian workers are exposed to hazardous silica dust i...

In this episode, we are joined by Jonathan Walsh, a Principal Lawyer specialising in asbestos, silica, and occupational diseases with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. Jonathan is an expert in dust diseases law and a dedicated advocate for those impacted by these diseases. With a deep passion for justice and compassion for his clients, he works tirelessly to secure the best possible outcomes for individu...

In August 2024, we were thrilled to host UK-based Professor Dean Fennell, a renowned expert in mesothelioma research, in Sydney.  He has designed and led numerous investigator-initiated trials from phase 1 through phase 3, placing him at the forefront of this critical field.   Join James O’Loghlin as he engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Professor Fennell about his clinical and transla...

In this episode, James O’Loghlin sits down with Vicki Hamilton OAM, the CEO/Secretary of the Asbestos Council of Victoria and Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Support (GARDS). With over 20 years of dedicated service, Vicki has been a beacon of support for those suffering from asbestos and silicosis in Gippsland and across Victoria.   Vicki’s journey into advocacy and support began after the tra...

In this very special episode, friends Bruce Wallner and James O’Loghlin catch up to remember Bruce’s younger brother and James’ dear friend James ‘Jum’ Wallner and the community campaign they ran together in the months leading to his passing in May 2021, to secure assistance (financial and medical) for victims of the notorious ‘Mr Fluffy’ homes in the ACT.  Jum Wallner contracted mesothelioma afte...

Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can be overwhelming for patients and their families. Often, they may not understand what this means, where to start, or what options are available. In this episode, James O’Loghlin sits down with specialist nurse Jocelyn McLean, the founder of the ADDRI Support Service. With over 20 years of experience in providing pre-and post-operative education and support to...

Caring for a loved one with mesothelioma may be one of the greatest challenges a person may face. The heavy symptom burden of mesothelioma means that patients are significantly dependant on caregivers and the uncertain prognosis makes it hard to predict how things will go and what the patient will need.  In this episode, James talks to Shirley Seaman about her experience in caring for her husband...

In this latest episode, James sits down with Professor Deborah Yates – the leading voice on silicosis and dust diseases. Professor Yates is a Respiratory Physician and specialises in thoracic medicine and occupational lung disease.  She was also the first person to diagnose engineered stone silicosis in Australia in 2013.   Australia's mining legacy has made silicosis a longstanding part of ou...

If you or someone you care about has received a diagnosis of silicosis or is worried about potential exposure, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. To help with that, in this episode we’ve got Jacqueline Hughes, a Partner at Turner Freeman Lawyers in Sydney, who specialises in compensation law, particularly focusing on dust diseases like silicosis. In our chat with Jacqueline, hosted by J...

What happens when someone receives a diagnosis of mesothelioma and is referred to an oncologist? In this episode, we delve into the world of mesothelioma management through the lens of Associate Professor Steven Kao. Steven oversees the thoracic oncology clinical service at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, bringing both expertise and compassion to his patients.  In this conversation with James O’Loghlin,...

How would it feel to be able to walk and talk – but not at the same time? Or to feel like you are breathing through a wet towel? Ken Parker is 48 years old and this is what it’s like to live with severe engineered silicosis. Silicosis is an incurable, but preventable, work-related lung disease caused by inhaling tiny particles of carcinogenic crystalline silica dust released when cutting engineere...

This is the story of Biaggio Signorelli, a young migrant from Italy who arrived in Pyrmont, NSW, in the mid-1950s. From humble beginnings, Biaggio went on to found the iconic Doltone House Group – making a significant impact on Sydney's hospitality scene.  In October 2007 at the age of 70, a seemingly minor cough revealed a devastating diagnosis of mesothelioma. Despite undergoing surgery and...

Welcome to Episode 9 of our podcast series. Today, we're diving into the lingering issue of asbestos contamination in Sydney, particularly discussing why the cleanup process seems to be dragging on for so long.      Since our last episode recorded on the 2nd February discussing the asbestos exposure in Sydney's Rozelle Parklands, the problem has spread all over Sydney with signs of contami...

In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, Trevor Seaman worked as an apprentice electrician in his hometown of Wagga Wagga. He then spent the next 35 years travelling the world working on various oil rigs and mines. In 2020, Trevor and his wife Shirley returned home to Australia, planning to retire and work on the farm they had purchased in country Victoria, near the Albury-Wodonga border. Feeling increasing...