Wellness packs filled with useful items have been delivered to cancer patients undergoing treatment in west Wales.

Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, collaborated with Macmillan Cancer Support to provide the packs to patients receiving anti-cancer treatment in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire.

The initiative was supported by a £2,000 grant from Macmillan Cancer Support.

The wellness packs, assembled by Hywel Dda Health Charities, contain a variety of items including hand cream, lip balm, herbal tea bags, and an anti-nausea band. They also include a hand heat pack, woollen hat, wooden cutlery, flavoured sweets, notepad and pen and a water bottle.

Patricia Rees, lung cancer triage clinical nurse specialist, said: "The Macmillan grant funding was used to provide a variety of useful items for patients receiving treatment for a cancer diagnosis.

"The first chemotherapy or anti-cancer session can be daunting for patients, when they have just had a diagnosis of cancer and can face many weeks and months of treatment that will make them feel unwell. Many patients will not know what items they need.

"This will hopefully be recognised as a really valuable gesture of support for patients from Hywel Dda Health Charities and Macmillan at a difficult time."

Tara Nickerson, fundraising manager for Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: "We’re delighted to have been involved in this scheme knowing that these wellness packs will help patients during a difficult time."

For more information about Hywel Dda Health Charities and ways to support local NHS patients and staff, visit the Hywel Dda Health Charities website.