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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Cancer patient 'denied funding' | Cancer patient 'denied funding' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A cancer patient has been told doctors cannot have funding for a bone marrow transplant from a donor in Australia. | A cancer patient has been told doctors cannot have funding for a bone marrow transplant from a donor in Australia. |
| The marrow would have been taken from a donor, frozen and flown to south Wales for the treatment on Alan Francis, 68, of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. | The marrow would have been taken from a donor, frozen and flown to south Wales for the treatment on Alan Francis, 68, of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. |
| Health Commission Wales would not comment on an individual patient but said it had "significantly" increased investment in the transplant service. | Health Commission Wales would not comment on an individual patient but said it had "significantly" increased investment in the transplant service. |
| Health Minister Edwina Hart has asked for a report on Mr Francis' case. | Health Minister Edwina Hart has asked for a report on Mr Francis' case. |
| Doctors had told him the chances of finding a donor were 170,000-to-one, but found a perfect match on the other side of the world. | Doctors had told him the chances of finding a donor were 170,000-to-one, but found a perfect match on the other side of the world. |
| Mr Francis, who said he had always kept himself physically fit and played a few games for Llanelli RFC in the 1960s, was first diagnosed with leukaemia 10 years ago. | Mr Francis, who said he had always kept himself physically fit and played a few games for Llanelli RFC in the 1960s, was first diagnosed with leukaemia 10 years ago. |
| He said: "I was in for four months but they put me right and I've had 10 brilliant years since. | He said: "I was in for four months but they put me right and I've had 10 brilliant years since. |
| "Six months ago I started feeling not quite up to it again, went in for blood tests and they said they were sorry to say it's back." | "Six months ago I started feeling not quite up to it again, went in for blood tests and they said they were sorry to say it's back." |
| He was treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and beat the disease again, but said he was told by doctors that usually after the second time it would return in half the time, between two to five years. | He was treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and beat the disease again, but said he was told by doctors that usually after the second time it would return in half the time, between two to five years. |
| Frozen | Frozen |
| Mr Francis said after a search for a donor in the UK failed, a match was found in a 43-year-old man in Australia in November last year. | Mr Francis said after a search for a donor in the UK failed, a match was found in a 43-year-old man in Australia in November last year. |
| Alan Francis has been treated at the University Hospital of Wales | Alan Francis has been treated at the University Hospital of Wales |
| He was told the transplant was scheduled to take place in Cardiff in four weeks' time. | He was told the transplant was scheduled to take place in Cardiff in four weeks' time. |
| Mr Francis said he was then telephoned to be told that the funding for the procedure was being withheld. | |
| He said: "The delay was nothing to do with the Australian, nothing to do with me, we were both okay because we had to have tests." | He said: "The delay was nothing to do with the Australian, nothing to do with me, we were both okay because we had to have tests." |
| "It's enough worry to know what I've got to go through - let alone this," he said | "It's enough worry to know what I've got to go through - let alone this," he said |
| Health Commission Wales has increased the level of investment in bone marrow transplantation significantly over recent years Health Commission Wales | Health Commission Wales has increased the level of investment in bone marrow transplantation significantly over recent years Health Commission Wales |
| "I can't see how flying bone marrow over in a plane and then down the motorway to Cardiff can be that expensive. | "I can't see how flying bone marrow over in a plane and then down the motorway to Cardiff can be that expensive. |
| "If it were a success it would be a cure." | "If it were a success it would be a cure." |
| He said it was frustrating as he had worked all his life and paid taxes. | He said it was frustrating as he had worked all his life and paid taxes. |
| "Another 10 years would do me now because I'm 68, if I could keep away from hospitals for the next 10 years I'd be happy." | "Another 10 years would do me now because I'm 68, if I could keep away from hospitals for the next 10 years I'd be happy." |
| The Welsh Assembly Government said: "The Minister for Health, Edwina Hart, is aware of this case and has asked for a report on the matter." | The Welsh Assembly Government said: "The Minister for Health, Edwina Hart, is aware of this case and has asked for a report on the matter." |
| A spokesperson for Health Commission Wales (HCW), which co-ordinates specialist health services, said: "HCW has increased the level of investment in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) significantly over recent years, including investment in the service based at University Hospital of Wales. | A spokesperson for Health Commission Wales (HCW), which co-ordinates specialist health services, said: "HCW has increased the level of investment in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) significantly over recent years, including investment in the service based at University Hospital of Wales. |
| "HCW commissioning of BMT is consistent with the published and evidence-based recommendations of the European Bone Marrow Transplantation group." | "HCW commissioning of BMT is consistent with the published and evidence-based recommendations of the European Bone Marrow Transplantation group." |