Teen told she had 'good cancer' died from treatment

When Emily was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, doctors told her it was a “good cancer” to person - but she died aged 18 due to the fact that of the broadside effects of treatment.

Her mum Donna Dunn from Cwmbran, Torfaen, said determination were “huge holes” successful enactment for humor cancers successful Wales, portion a advisor haematologist said the workforce was “overstretched and understaffed”.

Dr Ceri Bygrave highlighted "crumbling NHS infrastructure", woeful IT systems and an ageing specializer workforce arsenic large issues.

The Welsh authorities said crab was 1 of the NHS' apical readying priorities and a £2m nationalist programme was tackling waiting times.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is simply a benignant of humor crab that affects achromatic humor cells called lymphocytes, which signifier portion of your immune system.

There are 100 antithetic types of humor cancer, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Blood crab is the UK’s 3rd biggest crab slayer and, contempt 16,000 deaths annually, determination is overmuch little consciousness and understanding, according to Blood Cancer UK.

The foundation said the UK was down each akin nations successful endurance rates for each benignant of humor cancer.

But it said the concern successful Wales was peculiarly acute, wherever diligent attraction “lags a agelong mode down different centres successful England”.

“Blood crab is specified a analyzable disease, and yet I was told erstwhile Emily was diagnosed it was a ‘good cancer’ to have,” Ms Dunn said.

Her girl was an A-grade student, and with this reassurance, her parent added: “Even successful infirmary she studied hard and she treated it arsenic an accidental to speech to the doctors astir careers.”

Emily initially had attraction successful Cardiff, but needed much specializer assistance successful Bristol arsenic her information worsened.

However, due to the fact that of complications caused by her treatment, she was excessively unwell to question implicit the borderline to person it.

She died successful 2016, and her parent added: “Grief doesn’t get immoderate easier, it conscionable changes. We inactive miss her and speech astir her each day.”

Dr Bygrave, a advisor haematologist astatine Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales, said the workforce was “overstretched and understaffed”, with those delivering analyzable treatments “under large pressure”.

• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is simply a benignant of crab that develops successful the lymphatic system, which is simply a web of vessels and glands successful your body
• The lymphatic strategy is portion of your immune system
• In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, achromatic humor cells known arsenic lymphocytes commencement to multiply successful an abnormal way
• The affected lymphocytes suffer their quality to combat infections
• The astir communal grounds is simply a painless swelling successful a lymph node, usually successful the neck, armpit oregon groin

Source: NHS

“This is simply a peculiar situation successful Wales wherever by 2032, 74% of imperishable haematology consultants volition scope the property of 60 with a shortfall successful trainees to regenerate them,” she added.

“The crumbling NHS infrastructure that exists successful Wales and a woeful IT infrastructure that lags a agelong mode down different centres successful England are each things that compromise humor crab diligent attraction connected a regular basis.”

She said that to amended endurance rates, determination indispensable beryllium an summation successful the fig of humor crab objective caregiver specialists, arsenic good arsenic encouragement for much clinicians to transportation retired humor crab research.

Blood Cancer UK has published an enactment program for improving the situation, which includes processing the workforce, aboriginal diagnosis initiatives, reducing barriers to accessing care, and expanding entree to treatments.

It said a patient's societal inheritance and wherever they unrecorded were besides important factors successful endurance chances.

Blood Cancer UK’s Chief Executive Helen Rowntree said: “We're assured that if the Welsh government, NHS Wales and each policymakers travel unneurotic to code our recommendations successful Wales, it volition lend to making the UK a person for humor crab attraction for radical nary substance who they are oregon wherever they live.”

A Welsh authorities spokesperson said: “A grounds fig of unit are moving successful the NHS and we person continued to put successful the haematology workforce implicit the past decade.

“This includes a 20% summation successful advisor and a 56% summation successful specialty and subordinate specializer doctors.

“We are investing heavy successful crab services, some successful presumption of caller instrumentality and facilities."