‘All the fear disappeared’: Grandmother praises North Devon team as hospital wins national cancer award

North Devon District Hospital has scooped a national award for its commitment and support to patients living with incurable blood cancer.

The NDDH haematology team was presented with the Myeloma UK Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) Award in recognition of its ‘outstanding care and dedication to people with myeloma’, an incurable cancer which claims the lives of 3,200 people in the UK each year.

The accolade is awarded by blood cancer charity Myeloma UK and recognises hospitals’ commitment to raising the bar for treatment and providing compassionate care, something North Devon grandmother Janie Kimberley can testify to.

Janie, originally from Arlington, was diagnosed with both myeloma and the rare condition cardiac amyloidosis in November 2020 aged 72.

It was a diagnosis that shocked her and her family, as just weeks earlier she had climbed one of highest mountains in Wales, Cadair Idris, without missing a beat and felt as “fit as a fiddle” when she suddenly started feeling breathless. By November she said she was struggling to “get to the top of the garden.”

On the advice of her daughters, she went to see her GP and was quickly referred to NDDH for tests, where she was diagnosed with myeloma and cardiac amyloidosis.

“It happened very fast,” said Janie, who moved to Hereford a few years ago to be closer to family, but continues to receive care at North Devon District Hospital’s Seamoor Unit.

“I hadn’t heard of myeloma or cardiac amyloidosis. One of my heart valves was working at 25 per cent. It was a shock obviously, but I am a very positive person.

“They gave me a life expectancy of five to seven years, which they had to. But I said, that’s ridiculous, we’re not having any of that. I just have this ability to say, you’ve got to get on with it and I think I’m really lucky with that.

“It’s been six years and I’m in remission from myeloma and they said my heart has improved greatly.”

Paying tribute to hospital staff, Janie, who is now 78, said: “When I met the team at the hospital and they explained everything to me, all the fear disappeared. They gave me such care and reassurance and made me feel so safe. I can’t praise them enough.

“The nurses are extraordinary, the consultants and doctors, the administrative staff are all beyond brilliant. I know they’re all doing their best for me.”

Reacting to receiving the award, Melanie Bowyer, Royal Devon advanced clinical practitioner in haematology, said: “This award is testament to how well the team works together as a whole. NDDH is the most remote hospital in mainland England and we’re thrilled to be recognised for our high standards of care against criteria also applied to much larger more urban hospitals.

“The feedback from our patients has been heart-warming and reassuring. They feel that we are treating them as individuals and that they are central to all decisions made about their care and treatment.”

Myeloma is especially hard to spot as the symptoms are often vague and dismissed as simply ageing or other minor conditions.

By the time many patients are diagnosed their cancer has often advanced and they require urgent treatment. This can significantly impact their chances of survival and quality of life.

Monica Morris, clinical practice programme manager at Myeloma UK, said: “Myeloma is a challenging cancer which keeps coming back and can be difficult to cope with both physically and mentally, so patients really need a caring team in their corner.

“It’s very clear that staff at North Devon District Hospital do their utmost every day to help patients navigate treatment and the reality of living with an incurable cancer.

“They go the extra mile to provide invaluable support and are always on hand to answer questions, provide information, signpost to other services, and offer advice to patients and their loved ones.”

For Janie, treatment has taken its toll over the last six years and she has had to grapple with uncomfortable side effects, including breathlessness and pins and needles – also known as neuropathy – in her feet. She was also diagnosed with the skin cancer melanoma earlier this year, but is thankfully stable.

But she is keen to focus on the positives. A keen rider, she is enjoying being back in the saddle and making the most out of the time she’s been given with her daughters and four grandchildren.

She said: “I try to get up each day and think it’s going to be the best day of my life. Thanks to my treatment, I’m able to do all the things I did before.

“Riding has always been my passion – I started riding from a small child and I’ve been riding all my life. It’s important for my mental health to go out in the countryside and ride a horse. In this respect my life has not been curtailed. I’m a mad keen gardener and I hope I can carry on doing this sort of thing as long as possible. Last week I played tennis for the first time in four years, but the arthritis in my knee means I don’t move as quickly. You just learn to work around that.

“My grandchildren are terrific – as every grandparent would say. All you really want is for your family to be healthy and happy. I think I’m at a very nice stage in my life. I’ve had an amazing life and not everybody can say that. I have a fantastic family. I say to everybody, if I start complaining give me a slap. I feel very blessed.”

You can find out more about Myeloma UK at www.myeloma.org.uk