Welsh Travel and Accommodation Fund announced alongside Cancer Strategy for Wales

Welsh Travel Fund for children and young people with cancer confirmed alongside new Cancer Strategy

“The news we’ve been waiting for in Wales” 

Today, the Minister for Health and Social Care reaffirmed Welsh Government’s commitment to creating a new Cancer Strategy for Wales, which is set to be a landmark moment in the future of care and support for people diagnosed with cancer in Wales when it is published.  

In an historic moment, they also announced that work has begun on a Travel and Accommodation Fund for children and young people with cancer to help with the financial cost of travelling to treatment and staying away from home – something which Young Lives vs Cancer and our supporters have been campaigning on in Wales and across the UK for many years.  

The call for a Travel Fund, alongside a new Cancer Strategy, was a key focus of Young Lives vs Cancer’s Senedd elections manifesto, and we were pleased to have proactive engagement with Plaid Cymru and other parties on this issue, making it clear that a Fund is essential for young cancer patients and their families in Wales. We’re delighted to now see this firm commitment to our policy call.  

Young Lives vs Cancer has long called for a Travel Fund for children and young people with cancer in Wales. Our research shows that on average, they travel further and spend more on travelling to treatment compared any other UK nation, costing an average of £280 every month throughout treatment, and with around 75% also reporting that they access some or all of their treatment outside of Wales. 

As the only UK nation currently without a long-term cancer strategy, we greatly welcome the Cancer Strategy. Having a clear strategic approach is vital for any nation to drive meaningful change in cancer care, but it’s crucial that the Strategy must be ambitious for children and young people with cancer, with distinct commitments and actions addressing their unique experiences and needs – which differ from those of adults yet have been historically overlooked in national strategies in Wales.  

From a poor experience of diagnosis to a lack of data, and the need for fully comprehensive psychosocial support including for the cost of travel to treatment, it’s time that children and young people with cancer in Wales are truly prioritised and the Strategy is co-produced with them and charities that support them.  

Alongside our colleagues, especially those in the Wales Cancer Alliance*, we look forward to continuing to work with Welsh Government to ensure the future of cancer care for children and young people is transformed, and we stand ready to make the Strategy and Travel Fund a success.  

Our Chief Executive, Rachel Kirby Rider, says: 

“We’re incredibly thrilled with today’s announcement that work has now begun on a Travel and Accommodation Fund for children and young people with cancer in Wales. 

“The families we support in Wales have long told us that the cost of getting to treatment can be debilitating, cause unjust financial consequences and result in making incredibly difficult choices. No child or young person with cancer, or their family should have to wonder if they can afford to get to their vital treatment, but sadly, we know that missing or delaying treatment because of the costs is the reality being faced by some. 

“We’re delighted that Welsh Government have listened to our calls and long-term campaigning and are addressing this key gap in support through this historic Fund. We hope this Fund will be truly transformational to young cancer patients’ and families’ experiences during the most difficult of times – this really is the news we’ve been waiting for. We’re ready to support Welsh Government to make this Fund a success.  

“We’re also proud to have worked with our sector partners in the Wales Cancer Alliance to continue to call for a Cancer Strategy in Wales. By standing together, alongside those we support, we’ve shown that all our expertise and insights are vital and have amplified the needs of those we support.  

“We look forward to continuing our engagement with Welsh Government, including through the Wales Cancer Alliance, as the Strategy moves into the next stage of development. It’s now critical that children and young people are fully reflected in an ambitious Strategy that meets their needs too – we’re ready to make it happen.” 

*Young Lives vs Cancer are a member of the Wales Cancer Alliance, and Co-Chair the Alliance’s Children and Young People’s Sub-Group. Read the Alliance’s response to the announcement.

 

Cadarnhau Cronfa Deithio i Gymru ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â chanser, ochr yn ochr â Chynllun Canser newydd

“Y newyddion yr ydym wedi bod yn aros amdano yng Nghymru”

Heddiw, ailddatganodd y Gweinidog dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol ei ymrwymiad i greu Cynllun Canser newydd ar gyfer Cymru, a bydd ei gyhoeddi yn foment o bwys mawr yn nyfodol gofal a chymorth ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi cael diagnosis o ganser yng Nghymru.

Yn hanesyddol, cyhoeddwyd hefyd fod gwaith wedi dechrau ar Gronfa Teithio a Llety ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â chanser i helpu gyda chost ariannol teithio i gael triniaeth ac aros i ffwrdd o gartref – rhywbeth y mae Young Lives vs Cancer a’n cefnogwyr wedi bod yn ymgyrchu drosto yng Nghymru a ledled y DU ers sawl blwyddyn.

Roedd y galw am Gronfa Deithio, ochr yn ochr â Chynllun Canser newydd, yn ffocws allweddol o faniffesto etholiadau Seneddol Young Lives vs Cancer, ac roeddem yn falch o ymgysylltu’n rhagweithiol â Phlaid Cymru a phleidiau eraill mewn perthynas â’r mater hwn, gan ei gwneud yn glir bod Cronfa yn hanfodol ar gyfer cleifion canser ifanc a’u teuluoedd yng Nghymru. Rydym wrth ein bodd o weld yr ymrwymiad cadarn hwn i’n galwad am bolisi.

Mae Young Lives vs Cancer wedi bod yn galw ers amser maith am Gronfa Deithio ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â chanser yng Nghymru. Mae ein hymchwil yn dangos eu bod, ar gyfartaledd, yn teithio’n bellach ac yn gwario mwy ar deithio i gael triniaeth o gymharu ag unrhyw wlad arall yn y DU. Mae hyn yn costio tua £280 bob mis trwy gydol y driniaeth, a nododd tua 75% hefyd eu bod yn cyrchu rhywfaint o’u triniaeth, neu’r driniaeth gyfan, y tu allan i Gymru.

Gan mai ni yw’r unig wlad yn y DU sydd heb strategaeth ganser hirdymor ar hyn o bryd, mae’r Cynllun Canser hwn i’w groesawu’n fawr. Mae meddu ar ddull strategol clir yn hanfodol i unrhyw wlad ysgogi newid ystyrlon i ofal canser, ond mae’n hanfodol bod y Cynllun yn uchelgeisiol ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â chanser, gydag ymrwymiadau a chamau gweithredu penodol sy’n mynd i’r afael â’u profiadau a’u hanghenion unigryw – sy’n wahanol i brofiadau ac anghenion oedolion, ond sydd wedi cael eu hanwybyddu’n hanesyddol mewn strategaethau cenedlaethol yng Nghymru.

O brofiad gwael o ddiagnosis i ddiffyg data, a’r angen am gymorth seicogymdeithasol cwbl gynhwysfawr, sy’n cynnwys y gost o deithio i gael triniaeth, mae’n bryd i blant a phobl ifanc â chanser yng Nghymru gael blaenoriaeth wirioneddol, ac i’r Cynllun gael ei gynhyrchu ar y cyd â nhw ac elusennau sy’n eu cefnogi.

Ochr yn ochr â’n cyd-weithwyr, yn enwedig y rheiny yng Nghynghrair Ganser Cymru*, edrychwn ymlaen at barhau i weithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod dyfodol gofal canser ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc yn cael ei drawsnewid, ac rydym yn barod i sicrhau bod y Cynllun a’r Gronfa Deithio yn llwyddo.

Meddai ein Prif Weithredwr, Rachel Kirby Rider:

“Rydym wrth ein bodd â chyhoeddiad heddiw fod gwaith bellach wedi dechrau ar Gronfa Teithio a Llety ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc â chanser yng Nghymru.

“Mae’r teuluoedd yr ydym yn eu cefnogi yng Nghymru wedi bod yn dweud wrthym ers amser maith fod y gost o gyrraedd y driniaeth yn gallu bod yn flinderus, yn achosi canlyniadau ariannol annheg, ac yn arwain at wneud dewisiadau eithriadol o anodd. Ni ddylai unrhyw blentyn neu berson ifanc â chanser, na’i deulu orfod poeni a yw’n gallu fforddio cyrraedd ei driniaeth hanfodol ond, yn drist iawn, gwyddom fod methu neu oedi triniaeth oherwydd y gost yn realiti y mae rhai’n ei wynebu.

“Rydym wrth ein bodd fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwrando ar ein galwadau a’n hymgyrchu hirdymor ac yn mynd i’r afael â’r bwlch allweddol hwn mewn cymorth trwy’r Gronfa hanesyddol hon. Gobeithiwn y bydd y Gronfa hon yn wirioneddol drawsnewidiol i brofiadau cleifion canser ifanc a’u teuluoedd yn ystod yr adeg anoddaf un – yn wir, dyma’r newyddion yr ydym wedi bod yn aros amdano. Rydym yn barod i gefnogi Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud y Gronfa hon yn llwyddiant.

“Rydym hefyd yn falch o fod wedi gweithio gyda’n partneriaid yn y sector yng Nghynghrair Ganser Cymru i barhau i alw am Gynllun Canser yng Nghymru. Trwy sefyll gyda’n gilydd, ochr yn ochr â’r rhai yr ydym yn eu cefnogi, rydym wedi dangos bod ein holl arbenigedd a mewnwelediad yn hanfodol, ac wedi nodi anghenion y rhai yr ydym yn eu cefnogi yn glir.

“Edrychwn ymlaen at barhau i ymgysylltu â Llywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys trwy Gynghrair Ganser Cymru, wrth i’r Cynllun symud i’r cam datblygu nesaf. Mae bellach yn hanfodol bod plant a phobl ifanc yn cael eu cynrychioli’n llawn mewn Cynllun uchelgeisiol sy’n diwallu eu hanghenion nhw hefyd – rydym yn barod i wneud i hynny ddigwydd.”

*Mae Young Lives vs Cancer yn aelod o Gynghrair Canser Cymru, ac yn Cyd-gadeirio Is-grŵp Plant a Phobl Ifanc y Gynghrair. Darllenwch ymateb y Gynghrair i’r cyhoeddiad yma.