Victory for one who dies fighting

Please provide any information you think may be helpful to mesothelioma victimd and their familiesSTEWART Beckworth didn't survive to witness yesterday's historic compensation deal for asbestos victims.The Mornington Peninsula builder, who had tough, tattooed unionists fighting back tears when he spoke at a compensation rally in Melbourne last year, died of mesothelioma in July.
Just 2 1/2 weeks earlier his son, Nathan, a cystic fibrosis sufferer, also passed away. He was in his late 20s. Stewart was too ill to attend his son's funeral. His wife, Ginny, a nurse, said yesterday her husband had "died a terrible death. It was just horrible".
Stewart, a self-employed builder for more than 20 years, was diagnosed with the disease in February last year. "We'd never heard of it," she said. "I'm so glad James Hardie has paid. Stewart would be up on the tabletop dancing if he was here today. Even when he was really sick he was concerned for other sufferers.
"He asked me to make sure we kept fighting after he was gone. Stewart knew how important it was for families to be compensated and that's why he fought for this deal."
Mrs Beckworth said there was still a need for better education on the dangers of asbestos. Her daughter had watched horrified only last week as workmen wearing no protective gear demolished a building filled with asbestos opposite her home.
Jane Staley, manager of the Asbestos Diseases Society (Victoria), said there were 650 known cases of mesothelioma in Victoria and many more cases of asbestosis and lung cancer caused by asbestos.
"The agreement signed today has national significance," Ms Staley said.