Brian Coutanche, a former carpenter and States housing maintenance officer, died in the early hours of Wednesday after battling mesothelioma – a rare type of cancer of the respiratory system and abdomen that is caused by exposure to the toxic substance.
He had been transferred to the Jersey Hospice just two days earlier after his condition deteriorated. The illness had caused the 64-year-old to lose the ability to walk, see or feed himself.
Mr Coutanche’s daughter Melissa Vismer had begun campaigning before his death for a compensation scheme for victims to be be set up in Jersey similar to one which exists in the UK.
After her father’s death she said that she was determined to continue the campaign and fight for other victims, particularly so they have the support they need if they become seriously ill, which she feels her father lacked.
‘The campaign is for other people, like my father wanted,’ she said.
‘My father got to where he wanted to be, which was Jersey Hospice. And even though they did a fantastic job, they could not give him all the care that he needed.’
Mrs Vismer explained that her father died shortly after being transferred to the hospice from the Hospital.
‘He was having eye drops every hour every day for seven days,’ she said.
‘The hospital said that it was the right time for him to go to hospice. We didn’t think he would die that quickly.
‘He got there on Monday and we got a phone call on Monday evening to say that his breathing had deteriorated. He never regained consciousness and he died at around 1.30 am on Wednesday 18 July.’
She added that she would like to thank Jersey Hospice Care, Eyecan, Jersey Cancer Relief and Family Nursing & Home Care for their support during her father’s illness, and she encouraged Islanders to donate money to each of the charities.
Social Security Minister Judy Martin said last week that support for people with asbestos-related diseases was being discussed by her department but she was unsure whether a compensation scheme would be introduced.
