Hello and welcome back to The Valleys Lead.
Ceri Lewis was just 44 when a rare cancer, initially mistaken for other conditions, took her life, but her family are determined that her story will help others recognise the signs. Now, as the south Wales valleys community comes together for a special night-time walk in her memory, her sister Christie is sharing Ceri’s heart-breaking final weeks and her last wish: that people knew about neuroendocrine cancer.
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The Valleys Briefing
(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys. Anytime you have something you’d like to share, no matter how big or small, email laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com):
Looking for an art exhibition that will stay with you long after you leave? Amdoi is a powerful and deeply personal collection by Welsh artist Daniel Lazenby, bringing together painting, drawing, printmaking and moving image to explore grief, love, trauma and healing. Created in response to the loss of Daniel’s son, Rafe, these moving and thought-provoking works offer a raw but ultimately hopeful look at what it means to navigate unimaginable loss and find a way forward. Come and experience an exhibition that is honest, human and full of emotion. The exhibition is at Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil until 15 October.
Blue Pool After Thomas Prytherch 2025 Oil on Copper 20 x 25cm Reform Wales’ Deputy Leader and MS for Sir Fynwy Torfaen Laura Anne Jones has asked the Welsh Government to set out its position on banning the burqa and other full-face coverings in public. She said: “In a free society, we show our faces. It’s how we communicate and recognise each other. For public safety, it is important. Reform’s position is clear: ban the burqa and every other full-face covering in public. Even though it is not a devolved responsibility, it is important that the Welsh Government make their thoughts clear on what their position is. They did and again resorted to name calling instead of treating this with the seriousness it requires.” This isn’t new. A UK Government petition last year called for full-face coverings in public spaces to be prohibited - over 71,000 people signed. The response to the petition was: “It is not government policy to ban the burka or other face coverings in public. Britain has a proud tradition of religious tolerance within the law. The government is committed to creating a strong and integrated society in which hatred and prejudice are not tolerated and in which all people are free to express their religious identity without fear of it resulting in harassment, discrimination or attack. We recognise the huge contribution of people of faith to public life, locally and nationally, and are committed to celebrating and promoting this. There is no current legislation that bans the wearing of religious or non-religious face coverings and the government has no intention to introduce any.”
A community’s “outstanding” response to help residents who lost their homes in a fire has elicited praise from councillors. Several bungalows on Hazelwood Road, Pantside, Newbridge were devastated in the blaze on Wednesday 12 August, and more homes nearby were evacuated during the emergency services response. At a Caerphilly Council meeting, its leader Councillor Jamie Pritchard thanked members of the Pantside community for “their amazing efforts in supporting families impacted”. He noted the community had launched several appeals “allowing local people to donate money or items to help support the families involved”. Councillor Gary Johnston, who represents the Newbridge ward, agreed: “They’re not going to stop collecting for the victims of the fire,” he said. “It has brought the community quite a bit closer – and I know the leader has been up there and I thank him for that, but I’m sure he will give support now – that anything that we can help the group with to continue, then I’m sure the council will support that.”
“Ceri’s last wish was that people knew about this cancer”
This Friday evening, over 200 people from across the south Wales valleys will come together to walk and run, head torches on, around Bryn Bach Park in Tredegar, to commemorate the life of Ceri Lewis and raise awareness of the cancer that took her life at the age of just 44.
Ceri, a mother of five from Ebbw Vale, had been back and forth to her doctor with a range of symptoms. Doctors initially believed she might have had a prolapse, sciatica or IBS.
“She’d been diagnosed with IBS as she was having chronic diarrhoea and was passing blood,” her sister, Christie Williams, who helped to set up Ceri’s Legacy, told The Valleys Lead. “And she was in a lot of pain, not being able to sit.”
It wasn’t until a doctor carried out a digital rectal examination that cancer was suggested as a possible explanation for all of her symptoms.
“In early July 2026, she was sent for a colonoscopy and, as part of that, she had a biopsy,” Christie said. “She was told then and there that it was cancer – that she had a 10-centimetre rectal tumour. We hoped and prayed that this was the only site of the cancer. At this point, we didn’t know what stage the cancer was.”
But my the middle of July, Ceri and her family were told that she had stage four, grade three neuroendocrine cancer.
“It was really difficult for all of us to comprehend that,” Christie said.
Ceri and Christie were inundated with information about neuroendocrine cancer.
The cancer attacks the neuroendocrine cells in the body, which are everywhere. It takes an average of 4.5 years and 11 GP visits to typically receive a diagnosis, and over 50 per cent of people are diagnosed with advanced-stage neuroendocrine cancer.
Ceri was told the cancer had spread to her rectum, pelvis, spine and pancreas, and she immediately began chemotherapy.
“She responded really well to chemo,” Christie said. “But towards the end of the last chemotherapy treatment, her electrolyte levels dropped to the floor and made her so unwell.”
Ceri began struggling to swallow, and Christie noticed that she wasn’t acting quite like herself.
“I phoned Velindre [where she’d been receiving treatment] and said something wasn’t right,” Christie said. “She went for further investigations a few days later and a CT scan showed that the cancer had gone to her brain.”
Doctors told the family that Ceri had only weeks left to live.
“She was transferred to our local hospital in Ebbw Vale for palliative care,” Christie said. “That last week, she laughed a lot. She was wickedly funny, a little bit like she had become a teenager. She invited so many people to come and see her. She even made it out to see the firework display.”
Then, tragically, Ceri died on Saturday, 8 November, surrounded by her loved ones.
“She was just shy of turning 45,” Christie said.
As the family have spent the past year mourning Ceri’s death, they have also considered how they can raise awareness of neuroendocrine cancer, so others can recognise its symptoms, which can be difficult to detect until it is too late.
“The hard reality about this cancer is that it is often mistaken for other things,” Christie said. “The cancer is known as a zebra, because a zebra is often mistaken for a horse. Doctors are told if you hear hoofs, think horses, not zebras. Ceri was our zebra. She was misdiagnosed for multiple years.”
For weeks, Christie has been organising Light Up the Lake, which will take place on Friday, 9 October, to mark her first birthday since she passed. Ceri would have been 45 on 12 October.
Entry costs £15 for adults and £5 for children, with all proceeds going to Neuroendocrine Cancer UK, a small charity which does not receive government funding. Booking is essential and can be found here. Entries close on Thursday, 8 October.
Ceri’s family hopes that, with more funding, Neuroendocrine Cancer UK will be able to research ways of screening for the disease and diagnosing it at an earlier stage. They also hope Light Up the Lake will help more people learn about neuroendocrine cancer.
“Ceri’s last wish was that people knew about this cancer,” Christie said. “Some days are harder than others, but knowing we are doing her proud makes it a little easier.”
The community support for Ceri’s family has been “like no other”.
“We live in one of the most deprived communities in Wales, but they have come together for this cause,” she said. “We did a Facebook Live sale at Easter that raised £1,500. Bryn Bach Park has been fantastic as a venue. Bryn Bach Running Club has given us volunteers and support. Huw Williams from Sheultra is supporting the event and his company has gifted merchandise. Along with James Williams Drone Photography and event photography by Max Drinkwater, the event will also be supported by DJ Martin Dibble who are given their time for free. Local donations from all the local supermarkets have been much appreciated and the community are so willing to help and we are so grateful. And Neuroendocrine Cancer UK have been amazing.”
“People really have come together,” Christie concluded. “As hard as it has been, when you feel that outpouring of love and support, it does make it more bearable.”
To sign up for Light Up the Lake, just head here.
To learn more about neuroendocrine cancer, you can Neuroendocrine Cancer UK.