Asbestos can be found in brick, weatherboard, clad and fibro homes behind wall and floor tiles, under floorcoverings including carpets and, in walls, ceilings, roofs, gutters and even dog kennels. It could be anywhere. Sadly, current research tells us that people are unknowingly exposing themselves and their families to dangerous asbestos fibres during home renovations, and with TV renovating programs fuelling the popularity of DIY, during national Asbestos Awareness Month (November). 

I had the great honour of knowing Carol Klintfält, who tragically lost her battle with malignant mesothelioma on November 7, 2014, through our work raising awareness of the danger of asbestos to homeowners and the tragic consequences of renovating without knowing the risks of disturbing asbestos products which can be fatal. 

Carol developed mesothelioma because she inhaled asbestos fibres when working with an architect and while handling fibro sheets when renovating the family home in the 1970s. Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually develops between 20-50 years after inhaling asbestos fibres. There is no cure and the average survival time after diagnosis is only 10-12 months.

Carol’s family lost a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister and many lost a very dear and special friend. When they renovated their home, they didn’t know the dangers or that the impact of working with asbestos would be devastating. One in three homes built or renovated before 1987 will contain asbestos products.

Visit www.asbestosawareness.com.au to learn the real and present danger of asbestos and how to manage it safely because it’s simply not worth the risk.

It’s Perinatal Depression and Anxiety (PNDA) Awareness Week (November 15-21 ). Perinatal describes the period from conception through to about a year after the baby is born. We know that many women and their partners experience anxiety and depression during pregnancy, as well as after the baby arrives.

It’s not just women who can be affected. One in seven new mums and up to one in 10 new dads is likely to experience postnatal depression – and during pregnancy, up to one in 10 women and one in 20 expectant dads struggles with antenatal depression. 

It’s important for everyone to realise this is an issue for the whole family, and for the couple’s friends and colleagues. You need to just speak up if you think something is not quite right.

Untreated depression in a new mum can affect her relationship with her baby and its development, her relationship with her partner and other children, and in some cases, it can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts.

Fewer than 50 per cent of mothers seek help due to fear of stigma, perceptions that they will be seen as a failure, because they don’t really understand depression and anxiety or have concerns about passing medication to the baby through breast milk. The best way to support your baby’s development is to look after your own mental health.

If you think you or someone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, go to beyondblue’s website for new and expectant parents www.justspeakup.com.au You can complete the depression and anxiety checklist and find information for mums and dads on where to get help. There is also a free app, Mind the Bump, which  can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play. By following the guided meditations, it can help bring peace and calm to what can be a stressful situation.