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| Cancer man's Senedd NHS protest | Cancer man's Senedd NHS protest |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A man fighting for prostate cancer patients in Wales to be offered the same treatment available in England is taking his campaign to the assembly. | A man fighting for prostate cancer patients in Wales to be offered the same treatment available in England is taking his campaign to the assembly. |
| David Powell, from Barry, is helped by Jayne Sullivan, who campaigned for the breast cancer drug, Herceptin, to be made available on the NHS. | David Powell, from Barry, is helped by Jayne Sullivan, who campaigned for the breast cancer drug, Herceptin, to be made available on the NHS. |
| They will display a giant version of a letter from Health Commission Wales in front the debating chamber, the Senedd. | They will display a giant version of a letter from Health Commission Wales in front the debating chamber, the Senedd. |
| The commission (HCW) said it cannot fund every treatment available. | The commission (HCW) said it cannot fund every treatment available. |
| It said brachytherapy, a treatment for prostrate cancer, was not within its budget, and there were other effective treatments available. | It said brachytherapy, a treatment for prostrate cancer, was not within its budget, and there were other effective treatments available. |
| We have to make choices and we have to think about when we can make treatments available Simon Dean, Health Commission Wales | We have to make choices and we have to think about when we can make treatments available Simon Dean, Health Commission Wales |
| In August, HCW instructed consultants to stop offering the treatment, which is a form of radiation therapy. | In August, HCW instructed consultants to stop offering the treatment, which is a form of radiation therapy. |
| It involves a radioactive seed being injected directly into the prostate. It takes just one visit to hospital compared to weeks of radiotherapy and does not carry the same risks as surgery. | It involves a radioactive seed being injected directly into the prostate. It takes just one visit to hospital compared to weeks of radiotherapy and does not carry the same risks as surgery. |
| David Powell, from Barry, said his oncologist told him it would be the most effective form of treatment when he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in January. | David Powell, from Barry, said his oncologist told him it would be the most effective form of treatment when he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in January. |
| But he said he was later told by the commission that his treatment would not be funded. | But he said he was later told by the commission that his treatment would not be funded. |
| 'Treatment option' | |
| After a five-month battle, Mr Powell was given brachytherapy in Leeds. | After a five-month battle, Mr Powell was given brachytherapy in Leeds. |
| He is now campaigning for the treatment to be given to all men in Wales who are recommended it. | He is now campaigning for the treatment to be given to all men in Wales who are recommended it. |
| He said: "I think it's absolutely disgusting that they're telling us because we're Welsh we can't have this treatment. | He said: "I think it's absolutely disgusting that they're telling us because we're Welsh we can't have this treatment. |
| "We can't allow that to happen which is why we're taking this to the assembly." | "We can't allow that to happen which is why we're taking this to the assembly." |
| Jayne Sullivan will take part in the protest outside the Senedd | |
| He is being joined in his campaign by Jayne Sullivan, who campaigned for the breast cancer drug Herceptin to be made available on the NHS. | He is being joined in his campaign by Jayne Sullivan, who campaigned for the breast cancer drug Herceptin to be made available on the NHS. |
| They will be displaying in front of the Senedd building a giant version of a letter on the subject from Health Commission Wales. | They will be displaying in front of the Senedd building a giant version of a letter on the subject from Health Commission Wales. |
| Ms Sullivan said: "It reads quite clearly brachytherapy treatment should not be offered as an NHS treatment option for Welsh patients until further notice. | Ms Sullivan said: "It reads quite clearly brachytherapy treatment should not be offered as an NHS treatment option for Welsh patients until further notice. |
| "This correspondence shouldn't have been sent out. We want brachytherapy treatment re-commissioned for Welsh patients." | "This correspondence shouldn't have been sent out. We want brachytherapy treatment re-commissioned for Welsh patients." |
| But HCW chief executive Simon Dean said that resources would always be finite. | But HCW chief executive Simon Dean said that resources would always be finite. |
| He said: "We all want all the possible things that could benefit us now, but we're not going to be able to keep pace with that speed of development. | He said: "We all want all the possible things that could benefit us now, but we're not going to be able to keep pace with that speed of development. |
| "We have to make choices and we have to think about when we can make treatments available - it might not be today, it might be tomorrow - it might be next year. | "We have to make choices and we have to think about when we can make treatments available - it might not be today, it might be tomorrow - it might be next year. |
| "And we have to make those choices across the wide range of services that we are responsible for." | "And we have to make those choices across the wide range of services that we are responsible for." |