Latest news with #YsbytyGwynedd
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
Welsh father calls for blood donors after saving son's life
Seven-year-old Jasper Hodgson-Smith, from Swansea, was diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening blood disorder called Activated PI3K Delta Syndrome (APDS). His father, Matt, was found to be a perfect stem cell match, giving Jasper a second chance at life. Matt donating stem cells (Image: Welsh Blood Service) The family is now sharing their story during National Blood Donor Week, which runs from June 9 to 15, to encourage more people across Wales to donate blood and stem cells through the Welsh Blood Service. Sophie Hodgson-Smith, Jasper's mother, said: "From eight months old, Jasper exhibited numerous symptoms, including lethargy, persistent high temperatures, and a lack of appetite. "Due to the rarity of his blood disorder, it took a long time to identify his condition, which was thought to be chest infections, meaning he was regularly prescribed antibiotics and admitted to hospital around six to eight times a year." Matt with his son (Image: Welsh Blood Service) APDS is extremely rare, with Jasper believed to be the only child in Wales with the condition and one of just 35 patients in the UK. APDS affects the immune system, and for young patients, a stem cell transplant is often the only curative treatment. Jasper's care involved multiple blood and platelet transfusions, immunoglobulin replacement therapy, chemotherapy, and ultimately a stem cell transplant. Only one in four patients in the UK will find a family member who is a suitable match. READ MORE: Flintshire and Wrexham's best pubs and bars to take dad to on Father's Day Mr Hodgson-Smith said: "Blood disorders are as life-threatening as cancer and require just as much resilience. "Some people think donating stem cells may be painful or invasive. "For me, the process was simple. "I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant saving someone's life." He donated his stem cells through peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, a procedure that collects stem cells from the bloodstream using a special machine. Jasper's mother said he remained positive throughout his treatment. She said: "Despite everything he's faced, Jasper has remained incredibly strong and full of life—always dancing, singing, and making people smile, even during the toughest days. "Once Jasper is feeling fit and well, we are looking forward to spending more time as a family and have lots of beach walks and adventures planned with our dog, Pip." The Hodgson-Smith family hopes their story will inspire more people across North Wales and beyond to consider donating blood or stem cells. The need for donors is ongoing, with more than 15,000 blood donations required annually in North Wales alone to support patients at hospitals including Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Ysbyty Gwynedd and Ysbyty Wrecsam Maelor. Frank Murphy, who lives in Wirral but worked at HMP Berwyn near Wrexham, was recently recognised by the Welsh Blood Service for helping to potentially save more than 1,200 lives. Not only has he donated blood more than 40 times, but he also encouraged colleagues at HMP Berwyn to donate on more than 400 occasions. Mr Murphy said: "Giving and supporting others to give blood and to save lives has, in my eyes, always been a must and a duty, and encouraging others to donate is a great feeling." Appointments to donate are available in Mold on June 9, Bangor on June 10, and Llandudno on June 13, with further dates available across the region. To find out more about donating blood, platelets, or stem cells, visit or call 0800 252 266.
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Cambrian News
4 days ago
- Business
- Cambrian News
Ysbyty Gwynedd pioneers robotic knee surgery in Wales
The use of the robot has also created further benefits by establishing an industry funded advanced Hip and Knee Robotic Fellowship role at Ysbyty Gwynedd, providing the opportunity for senior surgeons across the UK to work with the robotic team for six months and get trained in robotics before applying for their consultant posts.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Former nurse, 84, removed her own eye cyst after years of waiting
An 84-year-old retired nurse removed a cyst from her own eye after waiting years for treatment, a report has account was revealed in a citizen experiences report presented during a meeting of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on Thursday, which looked at the long delays facing people awaiting treatment for conditions in north found some frustrated NHS patients were taking matters into their own hands, with another patient carrying out their own tooth filling with a kit from the health board said it acknowledged that "significant work" remained to address challenges in a "sustainable, long-term way". The woman, who is still waiting for an eye operation, initially waited three years to be seen after being placed on the ophthalmology waiting list in had some procedures but said they "did not help", so was eventually driven to carry out the dangerous procedure herself, according to the report."She is waiting for an eye operation, which was requested in October 2023, and her eyesight is deteriorating rapidly," it said."As a former nurse and nurse manager, she has given her working life to care for other people. Now she needs some care of her own."The report described long waits experienced by patients in the emergency departments at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor, and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd were found to be waiting up to 36 hours and "overcrowding, uncertainty, and discomfort" were also common public consultation had been part of a "listening and understanding" initiative aimed at improving the design and delivery of care and had been 300 enquiries from MPs and MSs over their constituents' experiences, with waiting times the main focus. Another case was a man who wanted to join the Army, but was unable to because of the health of his report said the man had not been able to find an NHS dentist nearby due to a "chronic shortage" of dentists in north Wales, and private dentists quoted a minimum of £3,000 for conversations highlighted issues over outpatient waiting times, access to services, ambulance and emergency department delays, and was found to have had a "catastrophic impact" on one patient's life who suffered daily pain, and another, awaiting an operation for bladder stones, endured "continual bleeding". Llais, the body which gives people a "voice" when accessing health services, also gathered data which found people had "significant challenges" accessing timely and affordable primary care, difficulty accessing GP appointments and the absence or loss of NHS dental treatment or self-management of dental problems had manifested sometimes in "unsafe or distressing" ways, including one patient "filling their own tooth with a kit from the dentist". Another patient reported waiting "12 hours in a corridor on a trolley".Long delays for specialist services, including audiology, cataract surgery, neuro-developmental assessment, and respiratory care were also "a major concern".A meeting to discuss the report heard that despite many people highlighting "dissatisfaction or frustration", many other participants had also expressed "gratitude" and praise for the "professionalism and compassion" by hospital staff, members and report said measures had been taken by the board to address calls for dental care, this included creating contracts worth more than £1.5m to expand NHS dental provision and a new dental access portal, launched in February, was also helping "simplify and centralise" access to procurement exercises, covering general dental services, orthodontics, oral surgery, and non-urgent access, also totalled more than £ to areas such as emergency departments, dermatology, gynaecology, physiotherapy musculoskeletal, cancer services, and a midwifery ward bereavement suite had also been neuro-developmental services, it said a child and adolescent mental health improvement programme was in place to provide mental health support for children and young people.
North Wales Chronicle
22-04-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Chocolate eggs brighten children's Easter at Ysbyty Gwynedd
Lock Stock Self-Storage delivered a consignment of seven dozen chocolate treats in time for the celebration. Area site manager for north west Wales, Lee Hanson, called in at the hospital to hand over the delivery and had a warm welcome from staff on the children's ward. Carina Roberts, play specialist and charity champion, who has worked on the children's wards at Ysbyty Gwynedd for 27 years, said: 'We're really grateful to Lock Stock for this generous donation to the wards which can cater for up to 100 children at any one time. 'We share them out among the children we have here and any that are left over we will take down to Accident and Emergency to share them with young people there. 'The two wards here cater for children from all over Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy and it's lovely for them to receive Easter Eggs. READ MORE: FOUR milestone birthdays celebrated at North Wales care home! Discover Porthdinllaen - UK's most beautiful seaside village 'I've worked on the wards here for a long time and it's something I really enjoy. It's very satisfying.' Lee Hanson said: "You never want to see children in hospital but hopefully an Easter Egg can help cheer them up at a difficult time for them and their families. 'The staff here do a fantastic job and we're just glad we can do something to hopefully bring a smile to the faces of their patients and their families. 'As a business we like to support charities and good causes in the areas in which we operate and to put something back into those communities so we're delighted if we have been able to do something to cheer up the children in the wards here.' Lock Stock, founded in Denbigh in 1999, has three sites in Bangor and other sites in Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Holyhead and Llandudno.
