Judi Rhys MBE, Chief Executive of Tenovus Cancer Care, said: “We note that Welsh Government has today responded to recommendations made in the report Unheard: Women’s Journey Through Gynaecological Cancer published by the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee in December. Read more here.
The report’s recommendations were made after three women bravely shared their harrowing and heart-breaking stories to cross-party committee members as part of an inquiry into gynaecological cancer last year. In what was a first for the Senedd committee, two women were facilitated to share their stories via video by Tenovus Cancer Care. One of those women, Judith Rowlands, sadly passed away shortly after.
The inquiry explored women’s poor experiences of gynaecological cancer in the Welsh NHS. All three women said they had felt unheard at various points along the cancer pathway.
We now look forward to the next stages of the process, including the plenary debate at the Senedd, and urge the findings to be agreed and acted upon urgently. We hope cancer and women’s health continues to be a priority for the Health Minister following the upcoming changes to the Welsh Government Cabinet.”
Each year, around 1,200 people are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer in Wales and 470 people sadly die. The incidence rate for gynaecological cancer in Wales is higher than the UK average, as is the mortality rate.
Symptoms vary between different types of gynaecological cancers, and each have different treatment pathways, and affect women and girls in different ways. Some symptoms can include bloating, pelvic pain, bleeding between periods, pain during sex, itching and unusual vaginal discharge. Some gynaecological cancers can present late, with non-specific symptoms (such as ovarian cancer). The five most frequent types of gynaecological cancer are: cervical, ovarian, endometrial (also known as womb or uterine), vaginal and vulva.
