Breast cancer: Cardiff mum's treatment delay 'a nightmare'

Lowri Mai Loader (pictured with husband Gwyn) is now taking part in a clinical trial

A mother fighting a rare form of breast cancer has called the health system "broken" after waiting 12 weeks to start treatment.

Last year, Lowri Mai Loader, 37, from Cardiff, noticed a problem while breastfeeding her son.

She did not start treatment until 85 days after seeing her GP, well over Wales' target of 62 days.

The Welsh government said it was investing "heavily" in cancer services.

"I didn't have a lump, it was just a small area of skin that was a little bit thicker and if I wasn't still feeding my little son I would never have found it," said Lowri.

"That scares me because I think, if I had left another, say, two months to go by, my story would be very different now."

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Lowri, the wife of Newyddion S4C correspondent Gwyn Loader, first went to see her GP on 31 August 2022.

She was diagnosed with cancer on 14 October, which was later confirmed as being a rare form of an aggressive triple negative cancer, but her treatment did not begin until 25 November.

"Those six weeks following the diagnosis until the start of treatment were the longest, most nightmarish six weeks of my life," she said.

"I felt like I had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, that was spreading fast. I knew it was growing but nothing was happening to treat it.

"The specialist had told me 'this is an aggressive cancer' and when you hear news like that, and you have to wait another six weeks, just hanging around the house, it's very difficult."

Lowri and Gwyn have two children

Lowri praised the doctors and nurses, but said they "all work within a broken system".

She said she started to feel better physically and mentally after starting treatment.

At the end of breast cancer awareness month, Lowri felt she had to share her story and wanted people to be aware of their bodies.

"I believe that people think that the experience of breast cancer, especially the idea of raising awareness of it, is pink and fluffy, but the reality is anything but pink and fluffy."

After 15 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, Lowri's fight continues and she is now taking part in a clinical trial.

"The message I've ben given is 'there are no visible signs of cancer at the moment, as far as we know', and that's hard to take, because you feel like oh gosh, ok, they can't tell me for sure.

"That's why I decided to be part of this clinical study.

"I thought to myself, I have to be able to look my children in their eyes and say, 'Mam has tried everything, Mam has given herself every possible chance to watch you growing up'.

Responding to the delay, the Welsh government said: "We see an annual increase in the demand for cancer services.

"We invest heavily in services to improve diagnosis, and to provide high quality care, as quickly as possible."