Velindre Cancer Service

16/03/2026

💙 Our amazing Clinical Nurse Specialists hosted a stall for National Cancer CNS Day!

💬 How have our CNSs supported you throughout your treatment journey?

16/03/2026

💙 Today is National Cancer CNS Day – an opportunity to highlight the vital part in cancer care that these staff provide.

To give a better insight into the vital role of a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, we spoke with Carlie Watson, one of our dedicated Melanoma CNSs, to hear what a typical day looks like for her.

Carlie is a much‑loved member of the Velindre community and was proudly named a winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2025 Employee Excellence Awards. Her compassion, commitment, and genuine passion for supporting patients to live their best possible lives shines through in everything she does.

You can learn what she gets up to here: 🔗 https://ow.ly/JQHr50YtwzP

15/03/2026

Sending our love today, and every day 💚

Today we are sending love, strength, and solidarity to our supporters on Mother's Day.

We know Mother's Day can be a bittersweet or difficult day for many of our supporters. We want you to know that whatever this day means for you - you are not alone💗

Thank you for all that you do to support Velindre. Your kindness, dedication, and generosity is truly special💚

13/03/2026

📢 Are you a patient having Pembrolizumab treatment?

Currently, Pembrolizumab is given intravenously (through a vein) which may take a few hours to be administered.

We will soon be giving you this treatment as a subcutaneous injection into your thigh, which will only take a few minutes.

Please wait to be contacted by your specialist team here at VCS.

12/03/2026

💚 After the success of our 'Introduction to Radiotherapy Treatment' video, we're proud to share our next edition: 'Introduction to Radiotherapy Planning'

Radiographers Rachel and Kesh give us an introduction to the radiotherapy planning process, including what to expect at your CT appointment, and what equipment will be used.

If you're beginning radiotherapy at Velindre, you can find more information about what to expect at your appointments on our website: 🔗 https://velindre.nhs.wales/velindrecs/services-a-to-z/radiotherapy/

10/03/2026

💚 It's , and we're celebrating the incredible advances made possible by collaboration between our medical, physics, and radiography teams.

One of these many advances is Surface-Guided Radiation Therapy, or SGRT. This is an advanced radiotherapy technology that uses 3D camera systems to track a patient’s body surface in real time during both treatment setup and delivery, significantly enhancing accuracy and confidence in patient positioning.

🎉 Since introducing SGRT into clinical practice in 2024, VCS has successfully expanded its use across multiple tumour sites, including breast, head and neck, prostate, thoracic, and abdominal cancers. From January 2026, cervix and endometrial cancers were proudly been added to this growing list.

This milestone is the result of outstanding collaboration between our healthcare scientists and represents their drive to innovate and improve the services we provide.

09/03/2026

💬“I attended one of these sessions in Maggie’s before my radiotherapy treatment last year and it was extremely helpful.”

As well as those in Maggie's in Cardiff, we're now hosting our Getting Started with Radiotherapy sessions in the Velindre @ Nevill Hall Radiotherapy Unit!

To find out more, please call the Radiotherapy Review Clinic on 02920 035693, or visit our webpage 🔗⤵️ https://velindre.nhs.wales/velindrecs/services-a-to-z/radiotherapy/getting-started-with-radiotherapy

08/03/2026

💜 On International Women’s Day, we're celebrating Freja - Velindre’s first ever female Linear Accelerator (Linac) Engineer.

After studying for a Bachelors in Medical Engineering and a Masters in Medical Radiation Physics, Freja was no stranger to male-dominated spaces. However, this didn't stop her from pursuing her passion and joining the team at Velindre Cancer Centre in May 2025.

Joining an all-male engineering team was daunting, but Freja was overwhelmed by the support she received from her colleagues. Her story is one of curiosity and courage to try something new - qualities we honour at Velindre this International Women’s Day.

Freja's message for girls and young women considering STEM? "It’s 2026: if you want to be an engineer and wear site trousers and steel toe caps - do it!" ⭐

06/03/2026

💜 Celebrating the wonderful women of Velindre for International Women’s Day!

Today, we came together at Velindre to mark Sunday's International Women’s Day by reflecting on this year’s theme, .

Our event brought together colleagues from across the organisation, including a heartfelt keynote from our Chair and honest, moving reflections from staff, patients and others impacted by our service.

From our dedicated nurses to our incredible support teams, leaders and patients, every woman brings great strength to their own lives and to those around them. We are proud of who they are, what they achieve, and the difference they make every single day.

💬 We’d love to hear from you.
Tell us in the comments: What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

06/03/2026

💚 Today is Employee Appreciation Day!

We publish our Wall of Thanks once a month to show our staff the messages of support from patients. We’re continually humbled by the kindness expressed in these messages, which are a direct reflection of the exceptional care and commitment our staff provide.

Do you have something special to share with our staff? Comment below! 💬

05/03/2026

📖 It's World Book Day! This week, we were delighted to welcome Kevin Donaghy, author of Stories of Cancer and Hope, to Velindre Cancer Centre.

After being diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma, Kevin was inspired to bring people together through the power of storytelling. His book shares 39 personal accounts of cancer and hope, reflecting a wide range of experiences, diagnoses and moments of life that connect us all.

Since publishing in 2023, Kevin has generously donated copies of his book to various cancer centres and charities across the UK to help patients feel that they aren't alone during their treatment. In particular, he uses proceeds from his book to raise vital funds for Maggie's Centres, who provide holistic support and community for patients at any point in their cancer journey.

Copies of Stories of Cancer and Hope are available free of charge for patients in the Patient Information Centre (next to the Velindre Café).

We at Velindre are incredibly grateful for Kevin’s support and his commitment to helping our patients feel understood and connected during some of their most challenging moments.
You can learn more about Stories of Cancer and Hope here: https://storiesofcancerandhope.co.uk/

02/03/2026

🎉 Celebrating Our Trust: Improving Lives Across Wales

As we mark St David’s Day, there’s no better time to reflect on the remarkable milestones across our services and the impact we’ve made together across Wales.

2026 marks a truly special year for Velindre University NHS Trust. This year, we are celebrating:

❤️ Welsh Blood Service – 80 years of providing a vital lifeline for patients across Wales, with 10 years as an all Wales service.
💙 Velindre Cancer Service – 70 years of delivering world class, compassionate cancer care.
💚 Velindre Cancer Charity – 30 years of funding essential support services that enhance patient experience and go beyond what the NHS alone can provide.

Together, we are united by a single mission: Improving Lives across Wales.

Throughout this year of celebration, we’ll be sharing our rich history, recognising our incredible staff, donors and patients, and spotlighting the milestones that have shaped our past and our future.

We’d love you to join us in marking these remarkable anniversaries. Share your moments, stories or memories using .