Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia

04/11/2026

This National Asbestos Awareness Week, ADDRI will be shining a light on another serious dust-related risk: silica. 🫁

Join the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) Foundation for a webinar with ADDRI Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Ellen Donohoe, exploring the latest research on silica exposure, worker health, screening and prevention.

What you'll learn:
+ Silica exposure and its impact on worker health
+ Emerging research on non-crystalline silica and workplace exposures
+ The importance of worker involvement in health monitoring
+ Advances in screening, early detection and prevention

🎙️ Silica Exposure and Worker Health: Emerging Research, Screening and Prevention
📅 Wednesday, 25 November 2026
🕛 12:00–1:00 PM AEDT
💻 Live online via Vimeo
🎟️ Free for NSCA Foundation members | $50 for non-members

Ideal for WHS professionals, occupational hygienists, employers, workers, researchers and anyone interested in occupational respiratory health. Register now at https://www.nscafoundation.org.au/_events.registration/step1/eventid/42795

04/11/2026

23/10/2026

07/10/2026

We’re supporting National Safe Work Month this October which reminds us that work health and safety is about protecting people’s lives, health and future.

We’ll be using the month to raise awareness, start conversations and reinforce the importance of safe and healthy work across our workplace particularly in preventing exposed to , and other dusts.

07/10/2026

FOCUS ON ADDRI IMPACT: Meet Arthi Sivabalan, ADDRI’s Occupational Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Coordinator.

Arthi joined the ADDRI team in May 2025 to support the development and coordination of multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with suspected dust-related, non-malignant occupational or environmental lung diseases.

Arthi holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Orthoptics from the University of Sydney and brings over a decade of experience working as an orthoptist in private ophthalmology clinics across Sydney and the Gold Coast. Arthi is passionate about patient-centred care and improving healthcare connectivity and efficiency, ensuring patients receive thorough support through well-organised multidisciplinary care.

ADDRI runs the free Occupational Respiratory Disease sessions every month, in partnership with the Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Sydney to support doctors, respiratory specialists and other health professional team members across New South Wales in identifying occupational lung diseases.

To September 2026, Arthi and ADDRI have run 15 MDT sessions since starting in June 2025 (11 meetings in the past 12 months) with a total of 77 external clinicians attending (averaging 26 clinicians per month) and 48 cases discussed. Clinicians can also refer cases of suspected diagnosis of dust related non-malignant to the MDT for discussion.

This free, monthly virtual forum provides structured case reviews and expert input for doctors treating patients with suspected or confirmed occupational and environmental lung diseases—such as silicosis, asbestosis, COPD, autoimmune lung conditions, and other non-malignant dust-related diseases.

For more information on the MDT that ADDRI runs, visit our website at https://addri.org.au/educate/health-professionals/occupational-respiratory-disease-mdt/

07/10/2026

October is National Safe Work Month in Australia coordinated by Safe Work Australia.

Work health and safety (WHS) is about protecting workers' lives, health and future; especially when it comes to preventing exposure to , and .

The recent findings of the 2026 Australian Worker Exposure Survey published by Safe Work Australia estimated that over 2 million workers in Australia were likely exposed to silica.

Also, Apprentices and trainees were more likely than other workers to be exposed to several work-related hazards, including silica (35.7%), lead (17.0%) and asbestos (13.7%).

Every work-related injury, illness and fatality has a human impact, affecting workers, families and communities.

ADFA provides support services to people and families affected by asbestos and silica exposure. If you need support, contact us at [email protected] or call 1800 006 196.

For more information on the work of ADFA, visit our website at https://adfa.org.au/

24/08/2026

You are invited to this very important and related diseases information seminar - for you, your Partner, Carer, Tradesmen and friends

Date: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Time: 10AM
Location: Panthers Port Macquarie
1 Bay Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444

Presentations will be made by:
- Barry Robson, adfa President
- Daniela Rubino-Panucci, Senior Associate, Turner Freeman Lawyers.
Light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by: 11 September 2026
P: 02 9637 8759
E: [email protected]
W: https://adfa.org.au/

06/08/2026

ADFA has two regional support groups running with monthly meeting to attend:

The Newcastle Support Group meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at Toronto Workers Club at 11am.

The Central Coast Support Group meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Ourimbah RSL at 1pm – 3pm.

If you wish to come along, please contact the adfa office on 1800 006 196 or 02 9637 8759.

For people living in the south coast region of NSW, contact our office on the numbers above and our members who live in that area can assist with your queries.

05/08/2026

The Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute invites you to their next Meso Hour session:

Date: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Time: 1:00–2:00 pm (AEST)
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Topic: Optimising Nutrition during Mesothelioma Care
Presented by: Lily Patterson, Accredited Practising Dietitian at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse

Good nutrition plays an important role in supporting people living with throughout their treatment and care. In this session, Lily will discuss the nutritional challenges commonly experienced by people with , practical strategies to help maintain nutritional status, and the role of nutrition in managing symptoms, supporting treatment, and improving quality of life. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions in a supportive and welcoming environment.

Visit the Meso Hour registration page to register for this and future events: https://addri.org.au/mesothelioma-hour-registration/

Once registered, you will receive a Microsoft Teams invitation on 14 September 2026. Registrations close on Sunday, 13 September 2026.

To view recordings of previous Meso Hour sessions and learn more about the webinar series, please visit the ADDRI Meso Hour
webpage: https://addri.org.au/training/meso-hour/

Please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues, patients, families, carers, and anyone else who may be interested.

05/08/2026

FOCUS ON ADDRI IMPACT: This month, meet Pamela Logan - Pam is one of our Mesothelioma Support Coordinators here at ADDRI assisting people who have been diagnosed with an -related diseases and their families and friends.

Pam is a registered nurse who has additional qualifications in Community Nursing and Health Sciences. She has worked in the UK, NZ, and Australia with many years’ experience in acute surgery, community nursing, child and family health, young disabled and . She has also worked as a researcher and co-authored works published in the area of clinical communication.

Pam’s latest research focus has been the shifting demographic of mesothelioma, exploring patterns of female diagnoses within an Australian support service and its relationship to national datasets.

What this has shown is the need for greater awareness of non-traditional asbestos exposure pathways, , and gender-sensitive care.

For more information on the support that ADDRI provides to asbestos disease patients and their families, visit our website at https://addri.org.au/support/getting-support/