In April 1995 Gill was told that the cervical cancer she had survived in 1987 and 1992 had metastacised and was now in her liver, and stomach. She was offered chemotherapy, because she was only 44, although her chances of survival were slim. Gill was determined to fight for her life and tried to remain positive. However one factor in particular troubled her-she would have to travel to Plymouth for her treatment. She was told that it was not possible to have the particular chem. Regime she has been prescribed at her local hospital Treliske.
The trauma of having to get to Freedom Fields regularly and stay over for several days at a time really troubled her and only added to her considerable suffering. The first trip to Plymouth took place in a very antiquated ambulance. Gill needed the toilet during the journey and had to go in a bedpan in the back of the ambulance while the ambulance man waited outside. You can imagine how that made her feel. Further to this indignity and stress, the ambulance had to make a detour to pick up an elderly gentleman from hospital in Liskeard. Gill had to now share the ambulance with thiscomplete stranger. Both were clearly embarrassed by this. Gill in particular because she was sick several times during the journey due to the seriousness of her condition. The journey to Plymouth took 4 hours in all, NOT ideal when you are seriously ill. We refused any further offers of transport by the ambulance service for obvious reasons.
The remaining 4 visits Gill made were by private car. At least she didn’t have to suffer the indignity of being sick in front of strangers, but the journeys were always traumatic for her. She was in a lot of discomfort, often sick, and always hugely relieved when she arrived. Imagine though how she felt having to face the return journey after chemotherapy.
She was incredibly brave, stoical and dignified, but those journeys were always a source of considerable misery. Furthermore she hated being 60 miles away from home.Family members found it difficult to visit, and Gill was doubly disadvantaged by this, as well as the travelling.
As her sister, who drove her and stayed with her throughout this traumatic time, I cannot stress stongly enough how having to go to Plymouth for treatment seriously added to her suffering and I believe, contributed to her early demise.
I realise that had she been treated in Treliske her prognosis was not good, but those days at Freedom Fields, the journey and the lack of local facilities, did nothing to help, but did a great deal to detract from her last months of life.
I appeal to those making decisions to move cancer services away from the people who need them close to home, to rethink for the sake of the patients. I am Gill’s voice and I speak on behalf of women to frail to make their voices heard.
(Val Baker of Penryn Cornwall – 6.1.10)

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