Lord Mayor thanks Swansea for backing £200k cancer appeal at city market

Cllr Cheryl Philpott welcomed shoppers to the city’s indoor market on Saturday (12 October) as she kicked off her “Just a Pound” appeal, which aims to raise £200,000 for Swansea Bay Health Charity’s Going the Extra Mile for Cancer campaign.

The money will support the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital.

Choir and community join launch

The launch featured a performance by the Phoenix Choir of Wales, while radio and panto star Kev Johns joined the celebrations to help spread the word about the fundraising drive.

Market traders showed their support by placing collection boxes on stalls, with further charity events planned throughout the year.

Lord Mayor praises generosity

Cllr Cheryl Philpott said: “I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along to support the appeal launch. Your generosity and enthusiasm mean so much, and I’m truly grateful to the market traders and all those who gave up their time to help make the day such a success.

“Cancer affects so many of us, and every penny raised will help support patients, families and staff at the centre. If everyone in Swansea gave just £1, we’d reach our target in no time.”

She added that raising money for the cancer centre was one of her main ambitions as Lord Mayor, alongside promoting Swansea’s historic indoor market.

Transforming Singleton’s cancer facilities

The South West Wales Cancer Centre, run by Swansea Bay University Health Board, provides life‑saving NHS treatments including radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Donations have already helped fund major improvements, including an £80,000 refurbishment of the Chemotherapy Day Unit. The new appeal aims to transform the old unit into a modern outpatient suite, creating a more welcoming space for patients and families.

Lewis Bradley, charity manager at Swansea Bay Health Charity, said: “Every donation makes a real difference, helping people in Swansea Bay and the surrounding areas access the very best care in an environment that truly goes the extra mile for them.”

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Lord Mayor launches £200k cancer charity drive at Swansea Market
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#Cancer #Charity #CllrCherylPhilpott #fundraising #GoingTheExtraMileForCancer #JustAPound #JustAPoundAppeal #KevJohns #LordMayorOfSwansea #marketTraders #PhoenixChoirOfWales #SingletonHospital #SouthWestWalesCancerCentre #Swansea #SwanseaBayHealthCharity #SwanseaMarket

Lord Mayor launches £200k cancer charity drive at Swansea Market

Choir and celebrity support at launch

On Saturday 11 October, Cllr Cheryl Philpott will officially launch her charity appeal at Swansea Market, joined by the Phoenix Choir of Wales and radio and panto star Kev Johns.

The event begins at 12 noon and is open to all. Market traders are also backing the campaign, with collection boxes appearing on stalls throughout the fundraising drive.

Raising funds for vital cancer care

The Lord Mayor has chosen to support Swansea Bay Health Charity’s “Going the Extra Mile for Cancer” appeal, which aims to raise £200,000 for the South West Wales Cancer Centre (SWWCC) at Singleton Hospital.

The money will help transform the centre’s old Chemotherapy Day Unit into a new outpatient suite with a welcoming, non‑clinical environment for patients and families.

“Every pound makes a difference”

Cllr Philpott said:

“Two of my ambitions as Lord Mayor were to raise as much money as possible for the South West Wales Cancer Centre and to promote our brilliant indoor market. I’m delighted to combine both for the launch of the Just A Pound appeal.

Cancer does not discriminate. Most of us know someone who has been affected. If each of Swansea’s 250,000 residents gave just £1, we’d reach our target in no time.”

Charity welcomes appeal

Lewis Bradley, charity manager at Swansea Bay Health Charity, said:

“We’re so excited that the Lord Mayor is supporting the appeal. Swansea Market is at the heart of the community, and this campaign is a wonderful chance to spread the word and get people involved. Every donation helps us provide the very best care in an environment that truly goes the extra mile.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

City welcomes its new Lord Mayor
Cllr Cheryl Philpott was inaugurated as Swansea’s Lord Mayor, pledging to champion local causes and support the city’s communities.

Swansea’s Lord Mayor goes the extra mile to support cancer charity appeal
The Lord Mayor chose Swansea Bay Health Charity’s £200k “Going the Extra Mile for Cancer” appeal as her official cause for the year.

Young Swansea trader shines at market event
Coram Ceramics’ Bethany Coram was among the winners at the Young Traders Market regional final hosted inside Swansea Market.

Swansea Market attendant sweeps up fans as TikTok star
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Market entrances to get new look after public vote
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#Cancer #Charity #Chemotherapy #ChemotherapyDayUnit #CllrCherylPhilpott #fundraising #GoingTheExtraMileForCancer #KevJohns #LordMayorOfSwansea #PhoenixChoirOfWales #SingletonHospital #SouthWestWalesCancerCentre #Swansea #SwanseaBayHealthCharity #SwanseaMarket

The hugely popular broadcaster, actor, and Swans matchday announcer and hospitality host has fought his own battle against cancer – at one low point fearing he would not see his next Christmas.

Fortunately, Kev had the all-clear last year, though he has ongoing treatment at the cancer centre, part of the city’s Singleton Hospital.

It celebrates its 20th anniversary this month – and Kev is backing a £200,000 fundraising appeal launched today by Swansea Bay Health Charity, the health board’s official charity, to commemorate the landmark.

The appeal, Going the Extra Mile for Cancer, will support the thousands of patients from the Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda areas who are cared for there every year, as well as relatives and staff.

The South West Wales Cancer Centre, SWWCC, is run by Swansea Bay University Health Board and provides a range of lifesaving NHS treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.

It was the brainchild of now-retired consultant oncologist Salah El-Sharkawi, who became clinical director of cancer services in 1996.

His vision of developing services locally led to the launch of a £500,000 fundraising campaign in partnership with the South Wales Evening Post to mark the turn of the millennium.

It ended up raising £1 million, triggering a £30 million investment by the health authority and Welsh Office that led to the SWWCC’s establishment.

The spirit of public generosity that was so evident more than 20 years ago has continued unabated ever since. Donations are regularly received from grateful patients, families and other supporters.

A major refurbishment of the Chemotherapy Day Unit, CDU which moved from its old home at the back of the hospital to Ward 9 last year, is now under way, paid for to the tune of £80,000 from existing charitable funds.

The centre team hopes Going the Extra Mile for Cancer will support their next big project – converting the old CDU building into a dedicated outpatient suite complete with a warm and welcoming waiting area.

The appeal will also support improved patient care and staff well-being across all wards and departments within the SWWCC.

Donations will help fund equipment, staff training, research and special projects, above and beyond what the NHS can provide.

In the days and weeks ahead, we’ll be shining a light on various aspects of the cancer centre’s often groundbreaking work, its dedicated staff, and some of the many fundraisers already going the extra mile to help others.

Kev is urging everyone support their local cancer centre by getting behind the appeal, either through donations or by organising fundraising events.

The 63-year-old recently appeared in a production of prison drama Conviction, written by Mark Cainen, at Swansea’s Grand Theatre.

But that was nothing compared to the dramatic turn his own life took when a routine blood test in March 2021 highlighted an iron deficiency.

Tests later confirmed he had a tumour on his kidney but also lesions on his lungs, which meant surgery was not an option.

“I had stage four cancer,” he said. “There is no stage five. I had a GP look at my notes and tell me to go home and prepare my family to sign a do not resuscitate order. It was that serious.

“I remember taking my family on holiday to Disneyland Paris at a time when, in my head, I didn’t have a future. Nothing had been said to make me think that – the oncology team had always been positive.

“At the time it was about managing a tumour they couldn’t get rid of, and I still had those secondary lesions on my lungs.”

This was in late 2022 and, for Kev, the show literally had to go on regardless of his health issues. Keeping his diagnosis private, he starred in his 25th Grand Theatre panto, Beauty and the Beast.

On his days off, Kev attended the CDU for immunotherapy treatment which cleared the lesions. That opened the way for surgery, which was carried out in Morriston Hospital last September.

Kev was back home a few days later and was later given the all-clear. He went on to appear in Cinderella at the Grand Theatre.

“There was such a massive difference in me from Beauty and the Beast, which was during that very difficult time, and Cinderella,” he said. “Everyone will say how different I was.

“It was like a massive weight had been lifted off me, in more ways than one. I lost six-and-a-half stone in weight. By choice. I was a lot thinner, which caused a lot of panic in the wardrobe department and still does!”

Kev, who still receives monthly immunotherapy at the CDU, is now getting ready for this year’s panto, Jack and the Beanstalk – one of his favourites.

Held once again at the Grand Theatre, it will see him appear alongside DJ and broadcaster Scott Mills, amongst others.

“It’s getting closer,” Kev said. “And it’s always great to welcome NHS staff to the panto. Some of the theatre staff come every year as a group and have seats fairly close to the front.

“You recognise them because you can always see the first few rows. It’s great, and I know a number of staff from the CDU are coming as well.”

He has vowed to do everything he can to support Going the Extra Mile for Cancer and is urging everyone in Swansea Bay and beyond to follow suit.

“Maybe you could organise a tea party, a coffee morning, maybe do a 10k or 5k run or a sponsored walk – anything to support the appeal,” he said.

“It’s a remarkable centre, without doubt the best. Let’s make it better and give them the support they need to do the job to help us.

“The staff are marvellous. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They are truly an amazing group of people.

“Not just in their professionalism but in their spirit as well. They care. The empathy they have for patients is amazing. They know their patients like friends, like family. They are incredible – all of them no matter the colour of their uniform. I can never repay them for what they did for me.”

Follow this link to find out more about our Going the Extra Mile for Cancer appeal.

[Lead image: Swansea University Health Board]

https://swanseabaynews.com/2024/10/01/fundraising-appeal-launched-to-celebrate-20-years-of-the-south-west-wales-cancer-centre/

#featured #GoingTheExtraMileForCancer #KevinJohns #SouthWestWalesCancerCentre #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard