My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in March 2020. First Saturday of first lockdown. She required immediate life saving surgery. I wasn't ware of any real delay in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment which followed. CAT/PET Scans were not delayed either; she was in the system. She was part of the bowel cancer community and quickly became aware that the treatment she had was not being replicated across the country. In short, I couldn't fault her initial treatment however when the cancer returned in June 2021 the cracks in the system were beginning to show. Access to specialist treatment centres like North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke was impossible and her only other lifeline was through UCH in London. Despite several consultations with the latter and proposed ways forward nothing materialised quickly enough as her condition worsened. 4 years ago I was sat in exactly the same spot I am sat now and was told that she wouldn't see out the week. That sadly proved to be the case.