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News

Cancer patient raises over £4,000 with walk

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A BRAIN TUMOUR patient from Haverfordwest has raised over £4,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity following a twilight walk on Newgale beach.

Sandra Thomas, a former nurse at Withybush hospital, set herself the challenge of undertaking the walk as part of her 49th birthday celebrations on October 16.

Diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme – an incurable grade four tumour – in September 2017, Sandra has undergone a year of physically demanding treatment that has seen her require brain surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in a bid to stabilise a tumour that can spread aggressively if left undiagnosed.

115 people joined Sandra on the walk, with her accompanying fundraising activities raising a total of £4024.73.

Sandra was joined by walkers from as far afield as Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, with the age of participants ranging between eight months and eighty years old.

Prior to her diagnosis, Sandra had lived a fit and active life, and her decision to undertake a twilight walk for the charity came from a desire to prove that there can still be plenty to life after a brain tumour diagnosis. Having been joined by so many friends from across the county, Sandra celebrated the completion of her walk with loved ones by treating herself to scampi and chips at the Duke of Edinburgh Inn.

On the success of her walk, Sandra said: “I’m blown away by today’s turnout, especially considering the weather, I would have never imagined that so many people would come and support me when I set myself this challenge.

“My amazing friend Claire drove all the way from her job in Gloucester after work to be here today and I feel unbelievably blessed that people have come together from all walks of life to support a charity so close to my heart.”

On her journey from diagnosis through to walking across Newgale beach, Sandra’s husband David said: “We’re all so incredibly proud of what Sandra has accomplished here. Sandra barely had the strength to walk more than a few yards a year ago, to have walked across Newgale today is an extraordinary achievement.

“Hopefully our walk can further help public understanding of life with a brain tumour and go a small way towards one day finding a cure for this disease.”

Almost 11,000 people are diagnosed each year with a primary brain tumour, a figure that equates to 30 people every day. Research offers the only real hope of dramatic improvements in the management and treatment of brain tumours.

Over £500m is spent on cancer research in the UK every year, yet less than 2% is spent on brain tumours.
If you would like to support Sandra’s fundraising activities then you can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sandra-thomad

Health

Ambulance delays linked to patient deaths, as local tragedy highlights crisis

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PARAMEDICS across the UK are warning that patients are dying because ambulances are unable to offload them into overcrowded A&E departments — a situation tragically echoed in the death of a Pembrokeshire mother whose ambulance never arrived.

Charlotte Burston, 40, from Llanteg, began experiencing severe chest pains on Christmas Day 2023. Her teenage daughter called 999 twice, but was told it would be an hour and a half before help could arrive.

No ambulance was dispatched in time, not because of a lack of willingness, but because so many vehicles were already stuck in hospital bays, unable to hand over patients due to chronic delays and lack of space inside emergency departments.

With no other option, Charlotte’s stepfather drove her towards Withybush Hospital. She suffered a heart attack on the way and later died at Morriston Hospital on New Year’s Eve.

An expert report presented at a recent pre-inquest hearing concluded that had ambulance staff been present at her home, she would “on the balance of probabilities” have survived.

The case comes as a new report by Unison highlights the scale of the crisis facing ambulance services. A survey of almost 600 ambulance workers found that two-thirds had witnessed patients deteriorate during prolonged waits outside hospitals, and one in 20 had seen patients die in their care due to delays in handover.

More than half of respondents reported delays of over six hours, and one in seven had waited 12 hours or more outside emergency departments.

Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea said: “Ambulance workers want the best for their patients. But this is no longer the reality. Ambulances and hospital corridors have become makeshift treatment rooms. The pressure on the NHS is unsustainable.”

Unison is calling for urgent action to increase staffing levels across ambulance, hospital and community services, improve GP access, and expand social care capacity to free up hospital beds.

Pembrokeshire Coroner Mark Layton, who is overseeing the Burston inquest, said that had the 999 call been prioritised properly, paramedics would have been sent and the tragic outcome may have been avoided.

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News

Former Welsh Secretary awarded peerage in Sunak’s resignation honours

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Carmarthenshire politician among those elevated to House of Lords

FORMER Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart has been appointed to the House of Lords in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list.

Mr Hart, who previously served as Secretary of State for Wales under Boris Johnson and later as Chief Whip for Mr Sunak, lost his seat at the general election in July 2024. The Conservatives were wiped out in Wales during that election.

Several other former ministers were also recognised. Michael Gove, who served as education secretary and housing secretary under different administrations, was granted a peerage. He is currently editor of The Spectator magazine.

Knighthoods were awarded to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, former foreign secretary James Cleverly, former defence secretary Grant Shapps, and former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride.

Outside politics, former England cricketer James Anderson was knighted after retiring from Test cricket in July. He holds the record for most wickets by a fast bowler in Test history.

Filmmaker Matthew Vaughn also received a knighthood for services to the creative industries. His credits include Layer Cake, Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and the Kingsman films.

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Charity

Entries flooding in for Welsh National Tractor Road Run

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CARDIGAN will be the place to be on Saturday, June 15, as entries continue to flood in for this year’s Welsh National Tractor Road Run (WNTRR).

The popular event is being organised by the North Pembrokeshire Tractor Enthusiasts – a group of like-minded friends led by Dai Rees of Cilgerran.

The Run will begin at Awenfryn, Glanrhyd – the farm of Keith and Kevin Evans – and take in stunning views across Cardigan Bay before heading inland towards Cwm Gwaun and the Preseli Mountains. The route will then return to Awenfryn.

This year’s event will raise money for three charities: the Wales Air Ambulance, Crymych First Responders, and Cardigan First Responders.

Entry is £20 until the closing date of Monday, May 20. Early entries will be listed in the official programme and guaranteed a commemorative souvenir. Entries will also be accepted on the day for £25, but late entrants will not be guaranteed a souvenir – a decision made by organisers to reduce disruption caused by last-minute arrivals.

Entry forms can be obtained from members of the local organising team – Dai Rees, Alun Owens, Keith Evans, Kevin Evans, Sion Morgan, and Peter Lewis – at various tractor events. Alternatively, forms can be requested by email from the WNTRR secretary at anne.trials@btinternet.com, or downloaded from the WNTRR Facebook page.

Online entry is also available:

Anyone interested in sponsoring the event or advertising in the souvenir programme should contact the WNTRR secretary or Sion Morgan via sion@pantygarn.co.uk.

Spectators are welcome at the starting point and along the route. More details will be released closer to the date.

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