Honouring Claire’s Legacy at the Moondance Cancer Awards

Last night was an incredibly emotional and memorable evening as we joined colleagues, partners and friends from across Wales at the Moondance Cancer Awards.

The awards celebrate achievement, innovation and excellence in cancer services across Wales. This year, more than 110 nominations were received, with 62 individuals, teams and collaborations shortlisted across 10 categories. It was inspiring to see so many people from the cancer community come together to recognise the dedication and hard work that helps improve outcomes for people affected by cancer every day.

For everyone at Tenovus Cancer Care, the evening became even more special when we were received the Patient and Public Participation and Involvement Award, alongside our partners at Cavendish Cymru, for our work on Claire’s Campaign.

Launched in 2024, Claire’s Campaign was inspired by the experiences of cancer campaigner Claire O’Shea. The campaign was created to give a voice to women who, like Claire, felt ignored or dismissed by healthcare professionals, leading to delayed diagnoses, inadequate care and, in some cases, devastating outcomes.

Its aim is simple but powerful: to ensure women’s experiences are heard and to drive improvements in gynaecological cancer diagnosis and care across Wales.

The need for change is clear. Every year, around 1,200 people in Wales are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer, while around 470 people die from the disease. Yet despite cancer care and women’s health being priorities for the Welsh Government, only 32.2% of cases meet suspected cancer pathway targets.

Behind those figures are real people and families whose lives have been affected by delays in diagnosis and treatment. Through Claire’s Campaign, we have worked to shine a spotlight on these experiences and advocate for better care for women across Wales.

Receiving this award was a proud moment, but it was also a bittersweet one.

Claire sadly died last year and would have been absolutely delighted to see the campaign recognised in this way. She worked tirelessly to improve the experiences of women affected by gynaecological cancer and was passionate about creating lasting change.

We were privileged to be joined at the ceremony by Claire’s mum, Julia. Sharing the evening with her was incredibly special. There were tears of happiness as we celebrated the impact of the campaign, but also sadness that Claire was not there to celebrate with us.

This award is a testament to Claire’s determination, courage and unwavering commitment to helping others. While she is no longer with us, her legacy continues through the campaign and through everyone working to ensure women’s voices are heard.

We would like to thank the judges for recognising Claire’s Campaign, and extend our heartfelt thanks to Wendy Evans, Jared Torkington, the Moondance Cancer Initiative team and the wider Moondance Foundation for hosting such a wonderful event.

Most importantly, thank you to every woman who has shared her story through Claire’s Campaign. Your voices are helping to drive change and improve care for future generations.

This award is not the end of the journey. It is a reminder of why Claire started this campaign in the first place – and why we will continue working to build a future where every woman is listened to, believed and given the care she deserves.