A new S4C documentary, Maxine Hughes: Canser – Ar Ba Gost?, takes a personal but unflinching look at what it’s like to experience cancer care in Wales today.
Through her own diagnosis and the experiences of others across the country, Maxine explores what happens when something doesn’t feel right, how long it can take to be diagnosed, what treatment looks like, and what support is available afterwards.
For many watching, it won’t feel unfamiliar.
“They couldn’t believe how quickly I started treatment”
After finding a lump while living in the United States, Maxine was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and began chemotherapy within two weeks.
When she spoke to people back home in Wales, the reaction was disbelief.
That contrast sits uncomfortably at the centre of the programme. Because when it comes to cancer, time really does matter. A delay of weeks or months can change what treatment looks like, and in some cases, what outcomes are possible.
Being listened to shouldn’t be this difficult
One thing that comes through clearly, and echoes what we hear every day through Claire’s Campaign, is how hard some women have to work just to be taken seriously.
Not being listened to isn’t a small frustration. It shapes how quickly people are referred, how early cancer is caught, and how supported someone feels throughout the process.
We continue to hear from women who knew something wasn’t right, but felt dismissed or delayed when they first asked for help. That shouldn’t be something people have to push through. It should be the starting point.
Lowri Griffiths, Director of Support, Policy and Insight at Tenovus Cancer Care, spoke to S4C about her close friend Claire O’Shea, and the experience that led to the creation of Claire’s Campaign.
“At the time she had a stage one diagnosis, the journey to get there had been a nightmare. What we want is quite simple, I want doctors and clinicians to listen to women. If they say something is wrong with their bodies, they are the ones who know.”
Claire was diagnosed at stage one, but the path to that diagnosis was anything but straightforward.
Lowri went on to reflect on Claire’s absence, and what continues to drive the campaign:
“We’ve lost Claire now, but we are campaigning. It’s not the same without her.”
When asked what she would say to Claire now, her answer was simple:
“We will not stop until it gets better.”
What happens after treatment ends
The documentary also touches on something that often gets less attention: what happens after treatment.
Many people speak highly of the care they receive during treatment itself. But once that phase ends, support can feel inconsistent or minimal.
For some, follow-up is limited. For others, there’s little in place to help with the physical and emotional impact of what they’ve been through.
That gap can be difficult to navigate, particularly when people are trying to adjust to life after cancer without clear support around them.
Where this leaves Wales
The programme doesn’t try to offer easy answers, but it does point to a system under pressure.
Demand is rising and will continue to rise. Without long-term planning, those pressures aren’t going anywhere.
At Claire’s Campaign, we believe this needs to be met with a more joined-up, forward-looking approach. That includes listening to women properly the first time, improving access to early diagnosis, and making sure support doesn’t fall away once treatment ends.
It also means acting on what we already know, including implementing the recommendations from the Unheard reports, and ensuring gynaecological cancers are properly reflected in the Women’s Health Plan.
Why this matters
What Maxine shares reflects something wider.
These aren’t isolated experiences. They speak to patterns that many people across Wales will recognise.
Claire’s Campaign exists because of that, to make sure women are heard, taken seriously, and supported throughout their cancer journey.
That shouldn’t be the exception; it should be the standard.
📺 Maxine Hughes: Canser – Ar Ba Gost? is available to watch on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer here.
🔗 For more updates and ways you can support, join Claire’s Campaign here.
