Healthcare professionals and clinical teams from Cardiff have received national recognition for their contributions to cancer treatment at the third Moondance Cancer Awards.
Independently organised by Moondance Cancer Initiative, the awards celebrate and spotlight the individuals, teams, and collaborations across NHS Wales and its partners who deliver, lead and innovate cancer services.
One of the standout achievements for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board was in the Collaborating with Partners category – Delivering Myeloma Treatment at Home. The win, shared with Pharmaxo Healthcare, celebrated an initiative that allows eligible multiple myeloma patients to receive their complex medication and supportive nursing care at home.
Grant Mehrjou of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “We’re the first site in Europe doing this; it’s revolutionising the treatment for patients. This is the start of something, of therapies being more effective and patients living longer. Increasing the ease of access to treatment at home is only going to help the patient and improve their quality of life.”
Another successful collaboration for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board came in the Cancer Treatment category. The joint win was for the South East Wales Cancer of Unknown Primary Team and was shared with Velindre University NHS Trust, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, All Wales Medical Genomics Service, Centre for Trials Research – Cardiff University, NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee and Wales Cancer Research Centre.
Commenting on the win, Dr Sonali Dasgupta of Velindre Cancer Service said: “A lot of hard work and genuine passion for patient-centred care has gone into this piece of work. The team has built a state-of-the-art service from scratch in a short time, and I feel immense pride in my team and am very grateful to all our collaborators. CUP patients in Wales have a home, the visibility and attention they rightly deserve.”
Also among the winners on the night was Claire’s Campaign, a patient-led movement founded by the late Claire O'Shea in partnership with Tenovus Cancer Care and Cavendish Cymru to address systemic failures in the diagnosis, treatment, and experience of gynaecological cancers, sparked by Claire’s delayed diagnosis of uterine leiomyosarcoma in 2021. Claire’s advocacy has been central to raising awareness of gender bias in healthcare and the urgent need for timely diagnosis, giving women a platform to share their stories.
The winners were judged by a panel of experts and leaders in the field including: Victoria Bates, Senior Healthcare Strategy Leader; Steve Moore, Former NHS Chief Executive and Health System Leader; Cari-Anne Quinn, CEO Life Sciences Hub Wales; Jon Wood, Former Innovate UK Lead Technologist and Innovation Strategy Advisor; Judi Rhys MBE, Chair of Community Foundation Wales; and Prof Isabel Oliver, Chief Medical Officer for Wales.
Commenting on the awards, Wendy Evans, managing director at Moondance Cancer Initiative, said: “The Moondance Cancer Awards celebrate the individuals, teams and collaborations driving change across cancer services in Wales. This year’s winners demonstrate the impact of focus, creativity, joint working and shared ambition in improving outcomes and experiences for patients. Moondance Cancer Initiative is privileged to work alongside NHS colleagues and partners to support progress for patients. We look forward to continuing that work, building on the ideas, relationships and momentum reflected in this year’s awards.”
