Cancer doctors work is never ending, says Birmingham mum
Claire Jones' two-year-old daughter is being treated for stage four cancer.
A new report shows cancer waiting times across the NHS have gotten worse.
Figures from NHS England show 61% of cancer patients who had their first treatment in April after an urgent GP referral had waited less than two months for treatment to start.
This is down from 63.5% in March.
The target is 85%.
Claire Jones' two-year-old daughter is being treated for stage four neuroblastoma. She said cancer patients often need a lot of treatment.
Gracie's upcoming treatment includes: "After eight cycles of chemo, there'll be surgery - a 12-hour operation next month to extract the main tumour - then it will be radiotherapy, then it will be a stem cell transplant, and then it will be immunotherapy."
A poll of all 60 directors of the UK's cancer centres by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) found 95% feel staff shortages are leading to longer waiting times for appointments and delays in cancer treatment.
Claire added: "Our whole life has been turned upside down. But the nurses idolise her."
She told us she is trying to keep positive for her family. She spoke to us while Gracie was receiving a blood transfusion as part of her treatment: "I can't be upset when she's not upset. She's hooked up to an IV, but she's still smiling, eating an ice lolly."
"I'm focused on getting my baby back."
"At this moment in time, I cannot be upset. I cannot. Because I'm more focused on getting Gracie the help, and getting her into a full remission, and getting my baby back."
In March, 20 per cent of patients from Birmingham and Solihull had to wait more than two weeks to see a consultant.
That figure was 30 per cent for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.
In Coventry and Warwickshire, the target of 85 per cent of people being seen after urgent GP referrals was narrowly missed.
Just over half of patients in Herefordshire and Worcestershire started treatment within two months of an urgent GP referral in the nine months to March.
Claire said Gracie was put forward to be treated on a trial. She said: "We were offered a trial. The consultant told me it was a flip of a coin if she gets it. And I couldn't get to grips with that. I was, like, you're literally dangling my daughter's life in your hands here."
Unfortunately, Gracie wasn't accepted on the trial and is continuing treatment at Birmingham's Children's Hospital.
Claire is fundraising to get Gracie to New York for specialist treatment and has raised almost ÂŁ100,000 (at the time of writing). You can read more about Gracie Tudor's story here.