BOTH of Tenby’s lifeboats were launched shortly before 6pm on Wednesday, 2nd October, following a report of a person missing between Saundersfoot and Tenby.

The volunteer crews were swiftly on the water, tasked with conducting a coastal search for an individual who had earlier departed Saundersfoot intending to trek to Tenby via the coastal path. Concerns were raised by his family when he did not arrive as expected.

After a brief search, the lifeboats located the missing person lying on rocks between Monkstone and Swallowtree. Crew members trained in casualty care were promptly dispatched ashore by the inshore lifeboat to assess and begin treating the individual. Concurrently, a Coastguard rescue helicopter was deployed from Cardiff.

The helicopter reached the scene just as the casualty was being transferred to the all-weather lifeboat. A paramedic was winched down to the deck where they, alongside the boat’s crew, provided treatment. The lifeboat then returned to Tenby, docking at 8.10 pm.

Upon arrival at the boathouse, the individual was handed over to paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service, who subsequently transported him to the hospital for further evaluation.

The operation also saw the participation of HM Coastguard Tenby and Dyfed-Powys Police.

A TIGHT-KNIT community has come together to raise more than £5,000 in support of a Cardigan football player who suffered life-changing injuries in a serious crash last week.

Sean White, a player for Maesglas FC, was a passenger in a car involved in a major road traffic collision on the night of Saturday, 21st September in the Bron-y-Dre area of Cardigan. The 17-year-old sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where he has since undergone extensive lifesaving reconstructive surgeries, including thoracic surgery and a tracheostomy.

Emergency services, including police, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, and the Wales Air Ambulance, attended the crash scene at around 11.30pm. Following the incident, five people were transported to hospital, one via air ambulance. Police confirmed that two individuals remained in stable condition in hospital, while the other three have been discharged.

An 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with the crash on suspicion of drink-driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and failing to stop. He has since been released on bail as police continue their inquiries. The case was initially referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) but has been passed back to the force for a local investigation.

Sean White, described by his aunt Rowena Reed as “an outgoing, sports-loving 17-year-old,” remains in the intensive care unit at the Heath hospital. He is facing a lengthy recovery period and may require additional surgeries in the future.

In light of the tragic incident, Sean’s friend and Maesglas FC teammate Emma James set up a GoFundMe campaign to support Sean’s family financially during this challenging time. “For those who know Sean, you will know him as a kind, funny, and caring boy who is friends with everyone,” she said. “He loves sports, especially football, and has recently started college.”

Emma’s fundraising effort aimed to raise £3,500 to help ease the financial burden on Sean’s family. However, the local community has rallied around the cause, with the total donations exceeding £5,000 in just a week.

“This will have a profound impact on Sean’s life for the foreseeable future,” said Emma, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support. “He is facing months in hospital before being able to come home and start a long road to recovery.”

The community continues to show its support for Sean and his family. Donations can be made through the GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/seans-family-and-to-ease-the-pressure-financially.

ALMOST three quarters of haematology consultants in Wales will near retirement age in the next decade, with a critical shortfall of replacements, a charity warned. 

Blood Cancer UK (BCUK) launched an action plan, entitled ‘Taking blood cancer out of the shadows’, at the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay on September 24 

Ceri Bygrave, a consultant haematologist at the University Hospital of Wales, Heath, Cardiff, was part of the charity’s task force which produced the recommendations. 

Dr Bygrave said: “The haematology workforce is overstretched and understaffed, with critical staff shortages and increasingly complex treatments leaving people delivering NHS blood cancer care under major pressure. 

“This is a particular challenge in Wales where by 2032, 74% of permanent haematology consultants will reach the age of 60 with a shortfall in trainees to replace them.” 

Dr Bygrave said: “The crumbling NHS infrastructure that exists in Wales and a woeful IT infrastructure that lags a long way behind other centres in England are all things that compromise blood cancer patient care on a daily basis. 

“To improve blood cancer survival, future NHS workforce plans must include an increase in the number of and support for blood cancer clinical nurse specialists, as well as action to turn around the drop in the number of clinicians doing blood cancer research.” 

Helen Rowntree, the charity’s chief executive, said huge strides have been made in research in the past 60 years but blood cancer remains the UK’s third largest cancer killer. 

Ms Rowntree said: “Needless lives are being lost and for those living with blood cancer there’s a real fear that they’re not getting the best care and support. 

“The blood cancer community deserves better. The drivers of better survival in high-performing countries urgently need to be understood and implemented.” 

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said blood cancer requires more attention in Wales as he called for targeted intervention. 

Mr Rowlands said: “Barely half of cancer patients are receiving treatment within the 62-day target time in Labour-run Wales and there is no clear trend of improvement.

“The action plan from BCUK provides a blueprint for bold action, the fact that only one hospital in the whole of Wales provides groundbreaking CAR-T therapy isn’t good enough. 

“If we boost staffing levels as the Conservatives have proposed and invest in provision, we can also put forward a faster diagnostic standard, as is the case in England, of 28 days. 

“We should also have more ambition in collecting information on cancer treatments in Wales to perfect treatments and improve prospects.” 

David Rees, who sponsored the event and chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on cancer, described the charity’s report as sobering. 

He said the report highlights the complexity in diagnostics and treatment which often leads to missed early diagnosis, treatment disparities within Wales and gaps in clinical expertise. 

The Labour MS for Aberavon added: “I know that there are issues involved in data collection for blood cancer too, which can help inform good clinical practice and patient pathways.” 

Mr Rees said: “Patients across Wales need to have confidence … that when they present themselves to their GP or A&E department, the diagnostic services are available and can deliver timely data that can lead to early treatment. 

“Patients should expect no less.” 

He pledged to keep pressure on ministers to act on expert reports, saying he was confident two Labour governments can together meet the challenge of modernising the NHS. 

Research found 29% of people with blood cancer in Wales visited their GP three or more times before diagnosis, with BCUK warning delays can have devastating consequences. 

The charity also raised concerns that nearly 30% of blood cancer patients in Wales do not know who their clinical nurse specialist is. 

The Welsh Government highlighted a 50% increase in haematology specialty and associate specialist doctors, and a 9% increase in consultants over the past decade. 

A spokesman said: “We have made cancer one of the NHS’s top planning priorities and have launched a national programme to support recovery in cancer waiting times. 

“We have received the charity’s blood cancer action plan and are considering the implications for our approach in Wales.”