When single mum Meinir Morgan sat her four teenage sons down just before Christmas to tell them she had breast cancer, she described it as the worst day of her life.
“I broke four hearts that day,” she said. “As their only constant, for me to have cancer wrecked their worlds.”
Meinir, from Birchgrove, had discovered a lump while on holiday in Florida. Within days of returning home she was seen at Singleton Hospital’s Breast Care Unit and, after a series of tests, was diagnosed with HER2+ cancer.
Treatment began on New Year’s Day: four months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, radiotherapy and a year‑long course of immunotherapy. The side‑effects were brutal. “Chemo was rough, and I was hospitalised twice,” she recalled. “It was so hard on the boys to see me so ill. I lost my hair, but we made light of it with jokes about wigs and colours.”
A teenage response to heartbreak
For Lewis (18), Rhys (17), Ioan (15) and Iestyn (13), the news was devastating — but their response was immediate.
“It was almost instant,” said Lewis. “We thought, we’ve just got to crack on. The best way to support Mum was to raise money for the people taking care of her.”
With the backing of their school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe, the brothers organised a bake sale, joined the Race for Life 5k, and hosted an afternoon tea. They also set up a JustGiving page, nervously setting a £500 target.
They needn’t have worried. Donations poured in, and by the end they had raised £3,150.
(Image: Swansea Bay University Health Board)
Giving back to those who cared
Earlier this month, the family returned to Singleton Hospital to hand over cheques of £1,500 each to the Chemotherapy Day Unit and the Breast Care Unit. The remaining £150 went to Cancer Research UK.
Meinir said she was “immensely proud” of her sons:
“When they were facing the worst news and scared of what the future held, they decided this was a positive focus for them — all while sitting A‑levels and GCSEs. It’s been the most challenging year, but they have been awesome.”
Community pride
Cathy Stevens, community support officer for Swansea Bay Health Charity, praised the boys’ determination:
“Throughout the entire journey, they kept their mum at the heart of everything they did. The result is a truly amazing achievement. Da iawn.”
For Meinir, the fundraising has been more than just money raised. It has given her sons a way to channel their fear into something positive. “They’ve been surrounded by great friends and support from the school,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder.”
