Caerphilly cancer survivor's £200,000 charity boost

But 39 years after her diagnosis, Mrs Morris-Lloyd has raised almost £200,000 for cancer charities through fundraising challenges which have seen her cycle across India and abseil down Newport's Transporter Bridge.

Mrs Morris-Lloyd, 57, from Caerphilly, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1981. At the time, she said people wouldn't even say the word 'cancer' because of the low recovery rates.

"There was no-one my age, and no-one I could talk to," she said.

"It was a very isolating time for me, but also for my parents as well.

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"In the 1980s no-one even said ‘cancer’, and if they did, they would whisper it as they didn’t think you would survive it.

"When I had chemotherapy my dad needed our car to get to work, so we had to go for my treatment by ambulance.

"The treatment would take minutes, but I had to wait four hours for the ambulance.

"The radiotherapy was over in no time, but you were waiting in the waiting room for a long time.

"I was the youngest there. I was very aware that there were a lot of older people. It was quite scary.

"It was very different to now when there’s now not one family which hasn’t been affected by cancer."

It was around the time of her recovery that Mrs Morris-Lloyd decided to start fundraising for other cancer patients.

Laura Morris-Lloyd's fundraising events being covered in 1985. Picture: Laura Morris-Lloyd

"The first one we organised was in 1981," she said.

"Between 1981 and 1988, we would organise fancy dress and three-legged bar crawls.

"I was 19, and that was the best way to fundraise at the time. I’ve still got the News and Weekly Argus articles from when they covered it in 1985.

"We raised a lot through that - thousands and thousands. We would have about 100 young people at each event who would go out and all get their own sponsorship too.

"You’d have people tied together for the entire night - in those days there was no health and safety so it was easier to do that sort of thing."

After fundraising for various charities, Mrs Morris-Lloyd launched her own fund to help other cancer patients complete their bucket lists.

"When I was ill, they told me that I had two years to live," she said.

"I had a bucket list of things that I wanted to do, and one of those was to travel, so in 1984 I got a job as a member of cabin crew.

Laura Morris-Lloyd fundraising by cycling across India. Picture Laura Morris-Lloyd

"I set up my own fund - Laura’s Cancer Fund - as I wanted every penny I raised to be able to go towards helping someone with cancer achieve their dreams.

"We were also able to raise enough to build a recovery room at Velindre. When I was having my recovery, there was nowhere to recover. You had to do it out in the corridor."

Mrs Morris-Lloyd had to give up running her fund after having children - which she had been told by doctors she would never do - but she went back to raising money for charities including Latch, Macmillan and Tenovus.

As well as a return to fundraising bar crawls when she attended university to become a teacher, Mrs Morris-Lloyd set her sights on bigger fundraising challenges - including cycling across Vietnam and Cambodia in 2018, walking the Great Wall of China in 2010, and, closer to home, abseiling down the Transporter Bridge.

Laura Morris-Lloyd with her son Gabriel fundraising by cycling across Vietnam and Cambodia. Picture Laura Morris-Lloyd

“I think Vietnam and Cambodia was special because it was with my son Gabriel,” she said.

“The fact that they had told me I would never have children, and to be able to share that experience with him made it really special.

“We were doing 70 to 80 miles a day for eight days. The fact that I was healthy enough and fit enough to do that meant a lot to me.

“It was a very emotional and personal challenge for me.

“I think the Great Wall of China was special as well. I think it was brave to do it on my own.

“When I got to Heathrow, I was terrified, but I met such an amazing group of people doing it, and we still all have reunions even now.

"Now I’m part of the Tenovus choir, any bucket collection or sponsored walk I’m there.

Laura Morris-Lloyd abseiling down the Newport Transporter Bridge. Picture: Laura Morris-Lloyd

"I hold a ball every year in Caerphilly and have done for about 12 years. Last year's was at Caerphilly Castle, we have raised about £5,000 through that.

"As an ambassador, I also go in and talk to people about the work Tenovus do. That's important because Tenovus aren't as well known as some of the other cancer charities.

"One of the most important this Tenovus do is their Mobile Support Units where they can deliver chemotherapy and other treatments.

"The Mobile Support Units are a comfortable environment and it is designed to make it a less stressful experience.

"People in North Wales might not have a treatment centre near them - they might have to travel down to Cardiff, meaning it takes over their whole day and it becomes quite traumatic. With the mobile vans it just becomes part of the day rather than their whole day.

"Tenovus have four mobile vans now."

Mrs Morris-Lloyd is also a volunteer with Tenovus' new 'Tele-friends' service, which sees volunteers make regular phone or video calls to those affected by cancer who may be experiencing loneliness due to having to isolate because of their condition.

“I would have loved to have someone to ask questions to", she said. "You had the doctor who would tell you the medical side of things, but there was no-one you could ask about the psychological side - about losing your hair for example - that had been there and experienced it.”

Laura Morris-Lloyd at last year's Tenovus awards with her sons Gabriel (left) and Owen (right). Picture: Laura Morris-Lloyd

Mrs Morris-Lloyd was recognised at the Tenovus Awards last year, where she won the Volunteer of the Year award as well as the Inspirational award.

"People have to nominate you. They gave me the nominations afterwards, they were so lovely to read," she said.

"I won the Inspiration award, and then the overall award too. My sons came with me to the ceremony, I was so pleased they were there so I could share it with them. It was fabulous."

Mrs Morris-Lloyd's fundraising challenges have been put on hold by the coronavirus pandemic, but she said she hopes to return in 2021 by cycling with her husband across Thailand.

Reflecting on her diagnosis, Mrs Morris-Lloyd said: "Having the illness has led to me being who I am today. If I didn’t, I don’t know if I would have been this person.

"I think what happens defines you."