A PONTYPOOL mother-of-four hopes a new form of blood cancer treatment, recently approved by Welsh Government, will help to level the playing field for patients.

On Friday, the Welsh Government approved NHS access in Wales to Revlimid, a life-extending treatment for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Deb Richardson, 48, of Abersychan, was diagnosed with smouldering myeloma in 2012, after experiencing a pain in her hip.

“The problem with myeloma is that each of the patients who have the condition will show different symptoms.

“With this new treatment, it means that there is a different option for patients to help them extend their lives.”

Mrs Richardson currently undergoes treatment at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital every eight weeks, and hopes the new treatment will benefit myeloma patients across Wales.

“It is just a way of helping people access treatment which may offer them an alternative,” she said, adding her praise for events such as the Pontypool Relay for Life to help bring issues relating to cancer to the fore.

“This form of cancer is not curable at this moment in time, but it will hopefully allow people to live on and extend their lives.”

The recommendation enable access to the treatment combination for eligible patients. It is not yet available for NHS use in England.

Dr Ceri Bygrave, a consultant haematologist at the University Hospital of Wales said: “People with the disease live with the constant uncertainty of relapse and as clinicians it is our objective to ensure the longest and greatest quality of remission at the outset of their treatment.”

“The recommendation from the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group, brings an important additional option to Welsh patients who have just received diagnosis of a largely incurable disease, and exemplifies the determination of the Welsh government in ensuring access to vital cancer medicines,” she added.