About Us
Mesothelioma incidence continues to increase with over 2500 people being diagnosed each year in the UK
The Avon Mesothelioma Foundation (AMF) is a local charity that has been established to help support patients with Mesothelioma and aid research into this devastating disease.
This is set to rise each year for the next 10 years. This cancer is caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure.
The AMF trustees will review applications for research grants and funding applications for patient equipment etc four times each year and aims to support top quality research likely to lead to improved treatment and care for patients with this disease and avoid unnecessary admissions.
We offer a next day service who may have urgent needs such as pleural effusion.
The pleural team at Bristol is staffed by a dedicated team of doctors, nurse specialist, research doctors and nurses, allowing specialism in one clinic.
Since 2004 North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) has had a specialised pleural service which not only serves the North Bristol catchment area (population 540 000) but we are also the specialist regional multidisciplinary team for all Mesothelioma cases in Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire cancer network nursing that all cases are discussed to ensure accuracy of diagnosis and in streamlining treatment plans.
The pleural service fast tracts investigations on an outpatient basis wherever possible, including pleural ultrasound, medical thoracoscopy and insertion of indwelling pleural catheters enabling patients to stay at home.
A twice weekly pleural clinic staffed by a team of doctors , nurse specialists, research doctor and nurse which allows for specialism in one clinic. In additional patients who have urgent needs such as pleural effusions can be seen by a next day service.
The Board of Trustees
Nick Maskell – Respiratory consultant, North Bristol NHS Trust (founder of AMF)
John Harvey – Retired respiratory consultant (interest in supporting research)
Naj Rahman – Respiratory consultant, Oxford (external clinician)
Anna Morley – Mesothelioma UK nurse, North Bristol NHS Trust (nurse representative)
Chris Smith – lay person (mesothelioma patient representative)
Deborah Walton – lead lung CNS, North Bristol NHS Trust (nurse representative)