Cancer from dad's asbestos-dusted coat decades later

Source: thesun.co.uk

TL;DR

The story at a glance

Heather Von St James wore her father Roland's dusty work coat as a child in the 1980s to feed her pet rabbits, unknowingly inhaling asbestos fibres from his building site job. At 36, while pregnant and working as a hairdresser, extreme fatigue and fevers led to a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, with doctors giving her 15 months without surgery. The Sun reports her story now to highlight hidden dangers of secondary asbestos exposure, as she recently spoke at a 2026 asbestos conference.[[4]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/38846140/cancer-after-wearing-my-dads-coat-asbestos)

Key points

Details and context

As a child in Minnesota, Heather loved the coat scented with her dad's aftershave, unaware asbestos fibres from construction dust could lodge in lungs and cause cancer decades later, typically 20-60 years post-exposure.[[4]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/38846140/cancer-after-wearing-my-dads-coat-asbestos)

She pushed for treatment at Boston's Brigham and Women’s Hospital under specialist Dr. David Sugarbaker, skipping Christmas plans; clear margins post-surgery meant no visible cancer.

Mesothelioma strikes via secondary exposure like family handling contaminated clothes, as Heather met elderly patients with direct work histories at her cancer centre.

Key quotes

Heather on diagnosis: "I didn't know what mesothelioma was, I'd never heard the word." – Heather Von St James.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

On survival: "Twenty years later and I'm still alive. Giving people that hope that it can be done, that medicine can get us there." – Heather Von St James.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

Why it matters

Asbestos-related cancers like mesothelioma kill via tiny fibres inhaled long ago, often hitting families through "take-home" exposure on clothes. Readers with relatives in construction pre-1980s or old buildings should check for hidden risks and symptoms like persistent fatigue. Watch for ongoing advocacy like Heather's talks and any new treatments, though her 20-year survival remains rare.[[5]](https://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/prognosis/survivors/heather-von-st-james)

What changed

Before diagnosis, Heather was healthy, pregnant, running a salon, unaware of asbestos on dad's coat from 1980s building work. Now cancer-free after 2006 surgery removing left lung and more, but with permanent limits like no running or heavy lifting. Shift happened post-CT scan at 36, confirmed within two weeks.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

FAQ

Q: How did Heather get exposed to asbestos as a child?

A: She wore her father Roland's dark blue satin work coat from the 1980s on cool evenings to feed pet rabbits; it carried grey-white dust from his building site job. The family didn't know the dust contained deadly asbestos fibres. This is secondary exposure common before asbestos dangers were widely understood.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

Q: What symptoms led to Heather's mesothelioma diagnosis?

A: At 36 and postpartum, she had extreme exhaustion, frequent fevers like "a truck parked on my chest," and looked unwell in a photo her sister called "dead." A CT scan found a lung tumour, leading to pleural mesothelioma confirmation in two weeks. Doctors linked it to asbestos.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

Q: What treatment saved Heather's life?

A: In February 2006, surgery removed her left lung, rib, pleura, diaphragm part, heart lining (replaced with Gore-Tex); then heated "Shake and Bake" chemo, four chemo rounds, 30 radiotherapy sessions at Boston hospital. She achieved clear margins with no visible cancer.[[2]](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/lung-cancer-symptoms-causes-asbestos-37030300)

Q: What effects does Heather live with now?

A: At 57, she's cancer-free 20 years on but gets winded easily, fatigues quickly, has frozen shoulder, can't run or open left hand fully, needs help with heavy items. Doctors call her long survival rare for mesothelioma.[[3]](https://www.ladbible.com/news/health/woman-pleural-mesothelioma-asbestos-dads-jacket-cancer-200928-20260417)

[[1]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/38846140/cancer-after-wearing-my-dads-coat-asbestos/)