Mesothelioma and Dust Diseases Australia (MADDA)

Mesothelioma and Dust Diseases Australia (MADDA)
 
Mesothelioma and Dust Diseases Australia (MADDA) is a not-for-profit organisation reducing the impact of asbestos and other harmful dusts.
 
We do this through:
  • Awareness - Increasing awareness of the ongoing risk of asbestos in our community
  • Advocacy - Advocating for greater asbestos and dust diseases education
  • Specialist Support - Providing specialist support to people with mesothelioma and their caregiver’s
    At MADDA we are interested in building long term stakeholder relationships with organisations that align with our values and culture.  We work closely with Government and our Industry Partners to reduce the risk of harm from dust diseases.
     
    MADDA’s Mission
    Minimise the impact of asbestos and dust diseases on our community
     
    Asbestos and Dust Diseases
     
    The facts:
    • Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer where the only known cause is exposure to asbestos.
    • 4,000 Australians die from asbestos-related diseases annually
    • Mesothelioma claims the lives of more than 3 times our national road toll
    • Western Australia has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world
    • In Australia any structure built before 1990 has a high chance of containing asbestos.
    • 1 in 3 Australian homes contain asbestos
    • Asbestos still poses a very real threat to WA’s tradespeople, where 23 is the average age of occupational asbestos exposure.
    • All dust diseases cause permanent harm, and sometimes this harm is fatal.
    • All dust diseases, including mesothelioma, are preventable.
     
    From Reflections to MADDA - Why the name change?
     
    Dust diseases are on the rise.  Asbestos- related diseases are also dust diseases. 
     
    We felt if we are going to have more impact, we need to embrace dust diseases in general.
     
    To do this effectively, we felt it was important to adopt a name that speaks more clearly to our mission, our purpose, and the communities we serve. This is more than just a change of name however —it is a new chapter. A chapter that will allow us to reach further, speak louder, and work together more effectively to reduce the impact of asbestos and harmful dusts.
     
    Under the name of Mesothelioma and Dust Diseases Australia, MADDA, we can have a more powerful voice.  We can run more successful campaigns, and it opens up greater opportunity for collaboration with Industry, with Government and with our major stakeholders.
     
    Moving forward
    Our pillars are AWARENESS and SUPPORT.
     
    Awareness – we are expanding into the dust diseases space.  We will broaden our message and work more closely with WorkSafe WA, our Industry Partners and other major stakeholders to raise awareness of the risks of harmful dusts, and advocate for greater education around dust diseases.
     
    Support - we will continue to provide specialist support to those with asbestos -related disease, essentially mesothelioma, and their caregivers.  We do not have the capacity to support people with other dust diseases at this stage.
     
    We are committed to working collaboratively with other organisations and government bodies to reinforce the messages and to advocate for greater adherence to safety protocols.
     
    Let’s work together to help reduce the risks and keep our next generation of tradies safe.