A NEW animation funded by Macmillan Wales to help people spot the signs and symptoms of Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression (MCSS) has the support of a Barry woman who's mother died of bone cancer.

The short animation is available in English and Welsh to use on television screens to help patients understand MCSS and recognise when they need to take action.

Spinal cord compression happens when cancer cells grow in or near the spine and press on the spinal cord and nerves.

Any type of cancer can spread to the bones of the spine, which may lead to spinal cord compression. It is more common in certain cancers, including breast, lung, prostate and patients who have myeloma or lymphoma and affects one in 10 cancer patients.

Supporting the animation is Barry woman Kate Bond.

Her mother had breast cancer when Mrs Bond was three years old which was treated, then 15 years later her mother developed a back problem where it was discovered she had bone cancer as a result of her breast cancer.

Mrs Bond’s mother, Gillian Mackian, only discovered she had MSCC when her back condition worsened and she could not move her legs and was sent for a MRI scan.

“It makes you think that if mum’s MSCC had been spotted earlier her last few months might have been better quality for her,” Mrs Bond explained.

“Instead of having to be in hospital, if she had been able to walk, mum might have been able to have spent quality time with her family and perhaps gone on holiday with us all.

“We hope the animation really helps others pick-up the symptoms of MSCC early enough to avoid the worst consequences.”

The South Wales Cancer Network had funding support from Macmillan for a two-year MSCC project and the animation for people affected by cancer has been one of the results of that work.