Swansea Bay’s very own cancer centre celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year – and we’re launching a big fundraising appeal to mark the occasion. 

Going the Extra Mile for Cancer aims to raise £200,000 to support patients, relatives staff at the South West Wales Cancer Centre. 

Swansea legend Kev Johns, who has fought his own battle against cancer, is backing the appeal and is urging everyone to get involved.  He said: “Maybe you could organise a tea party, a coffee morning, maybe do a 10k or 5k run or a sponsored walk – anything to support the appeal. 

“It’s a remarkable centre, without doubt the best. Let’s make it better and give them the support they need to do the job to help us.”

The South West Wales Cancer Centre, SWWCC, is run by Swansea Bay University Health Board and provides a range of lifesaving NHS treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. 

It was the brainchild of now-retired consultant oncologist Salah El-Sharkawi, who became clinical director of cancer services in 1996.  His vision of developing services locally led to the launch of a £500,000 fundraising campaign in partnership with the South Wales Evening Post to mark the turn of the millennium.

It ended up raising £1 million, triggering a £30 million investment by the health authority and Welsh Office that led to the SWWCC’s establishment. 

The spirit of public generosity that was so evident more than 20 years ago has continued unabated ever since. Donations are regularly received from grateful patients, families and other supporters. 

A major refurbishment of the Chemotherapy Day Unit, CDU, which moved from its old home at the back of the hospital to Ward 9 last year, is now under way, paid for to the tune of £80,000 from existing charitable funds.

The centre team hopes Going the Extra Mile for Cancer will support their next big project – converting the old CDU building into a dedicated outpatient suite complete with a warm and welcoming waiting area. 

The appeal will also support improved patient care and staff well-being across all wards and departments within the SWWCC.

Donations will help fund equipment, staff training, research and special projects, above and beyond what the NHS can provide.

We’ll be shining a light on various aspects of the cancer centre’s often groundbreaking work, its dedicated staff, and some of the many fundraisers already going the extra mile to help others.

Kev is fully behind the appeal. He was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2021, at one point fearing he would not see his next Christmas.

He underwent immunotherapy at the Chemotherapy Day Unit, part of the SWWCC, followed by surgery at Morriston Hospital. He has been cancer-free since last year, though the immunotherapy continues. He has nothing but praise for all those involved in his care, including those at the Chemotherapy Day Unit.

“The staff are marvellous,” Kev said. “Nothing is too much trouble for them. They are truly an amazing group of people. Not just in their professionalism but in their spirit as well. They care. The empathy they have for patients is amazing. They know their patients like friends, like family. They are incredible – all of them no matter the colour of their uniform. I can never repay them for what they did for me.”

Mae canolfan ganser Bae Abertawe ei hun yn dathlu ei phen-blwydd yn 20 oed eleni - ac rydym yn lansio apêl codi arian fawr i nodi'r achlysur.

Nod Mynd y Filltir Ychwanegol ar gyfer Canser yw codi £200,000 i gefnogi cleifion, staff a perthnasau yng Nghanolfan Ganser De Orllewin Cymru.

Mae arwr Abertawe Kev Johns, sydd wedi ymladd ei frwydr ei hun yn erbyn canser, yn cefnogi'r apêl ac yn annog pawb i gymryd rhan. Meddai: “Efallai y gallech chi drefnu parti te, bore coffi, efallai rhedeg 10k neu 5k neu daith gerdded noddedig - unrhyw beth i gefnogi'r apêl.

“Mae’n ganolfan ryfeddol, heb amheuaeth y gorau. Gadewch i ni ei wella a rhoi’r cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt i wneud y gwaith i’n helpu.”

Mae Canolfan Ganser De-orllewin Cymru, SWWCC, yn cael ei rhedeg gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe ac mae’n darparu ystod o driniaethau GIG sy’n achub bywydau fel radiotherapi, cemotherapi ac imiwnotherapi.

Syniad yr oncolegydd ymgynghorol Salah El-Sharkawi, sydd bellach wedi ymddeol, oedd hwn, a ddaeth yn gyfarwyddwr clinigol gwasanaethau canser ym 1996. Arweiniodd ei weledigaeth o ddatblygu gwasanaethau'n lleol at lansio ymgyrch codi arian gwerth £500,000 mewn partneriaeth â'r South Wales Evening Post i nodi troad y mileniwm.

Yn y pen draw cododd £1 miliwn, gan sbarduno buddsoddiad o £30 miliwn gan yr awdurdod iechyd a’r Swyddfa Gymreig a arweiniodd at sefydlu SWWCC.

Mae'r ysbryd o haelioni cyhoeddus a oedd mor amlwg dros 20 mlynedd yn ôl wedi parhau'n ddi-baid ers hynny. Derbynnir rhoddion yn gyson oddi wrth gleifion, teuluoedd a chefnogwyr eraill diolchgar.

Mae gwaith adnewyddu sylweddol ar yr Uned Ddydd Cemotherapi, CDU a symudodd o'i hen gartref yng nghefn yr ysbyty i Ward 9 y llynedd, bellach ar y gweill, a thalwyd amdano hyd at £80,000 o gronfeydd elusennol presennol.

Mae tîm y ganolfan yn gobeithio y bydd Mynd y Filltir Ychwanegol ar gyfer Canser yn cefnogi eu prosiect mawr nesaf - trosi'r hen adeilad CDU yn ystafell benodol i gleifion allanol ynghyd ag ardal aros gynnes a chroesawgar.

Bydd yr apêl hefyd yn cefnogi gwell gofal cleifion a lles staff ar draws yr holl wardiau ac adrannau o fewn SWWCC.

Bydd rhoddion yn helpu i ariannu offer, hyfforddiant staff, ymchwil a phrosiectau arbennig, y tu hwnt i'r hyn y gall y GIG ei ddarparu.

Byddwn yn taflu goleuni ar wahanol agweddau ar waith arloesol y ganolfan ganser, ei staff ymroddedig, a rhai o’r codwyr arian niferus sydd eisoes yn mynd y filltir ychwanegol i helpu eraill.

Mae Kev yn llwyr gefnogi'r apêl. Cafodd ddiagnosis o ganser cam pedwar yn 2021, ar un adeg yn ofni na fyddai’n gweld ei Nadolig nesaf. Cafodd imiwnotherapi yn yr Uned Ddydd Cemotherapi, rhan o SWWCC, ac yna llawdriniaeth yn Ysbyty Treforys. Mae wedi bod yn rhydd o ganser ers y llynedd, er bod yr imiwnotherapi yn parhau. Nid oes ganddo ond canmoliaeth i bawb sy'n ymwneud â'i ofal, gan gynnwys y rhai yn yr Uned Ddydd Cemotherapi.

“Mae’r staff yn wych,” meddai Kev. “Does dim byd yn ormod o drafferth iddyn nhw. Maent yn wirioneddol yn grŵp anhygoel o bobl. Nid yn unig yn eu proffesiynoldeb ond yn eu hysbryd hefyd. Maen nhw'n gofalgar. Mae'r empathi sydd ganddyn nhw i gleifion yn anhygoel. Maent yn adnabod eu cleifion fel ffrindiau, fel teulu. Maen nhw’n anhygoel – pob un ohonyn nhw waeth beth fo lliw eu gwisg. Ni allaf byth eu had-dalu am yr hyn a wnaethant i mi.”