Alun Austin was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Almost 2 years later, he has raised an extraordinary £35,000 for Velindre alongside the community of Colwinston, his local village.
Click here to watch the full story in Alun’s own words.
Alun’s story began in July 2024, when he made an appointment with his GP. Although Alun was originally believed to have jaundice, after giving blood samples, his GP was still concerned and organised as Emergency Ultrasound Scan on the 31st July 2024.
The following day, Alun was booked in for a CT and MRI scans, and informed that his scans showed spots around his bile duct where it connected to his pancreas. The consultant told him the spots could be cancer cells. An Endoscopy was arranged immediately, and the results were sent to the Pancreatic Cancer Specialist team. The results were analysed, and Alun received the news that the spots were definitely cancer cells. Thankfully, Alun’s cancer was treatable.
In the weeks that followed, Alun had Laparoscopic surgery to take biopsies of the cells, which involved removing the top of Pancreas, his gallbladder and part of his stomach. After “adjusting his plumbing” (as the surgeon put it!), Alun was discharged on the 16th December 2024.
Alun needed a course of Chemotherapy to treat anything that may have been missed or invisible during the surgery, and so Alun’s journey led him to Velindre.
An appointment was made for him to meet our Treatment Team at the Cancer Centre, and after chatting with them, Alun was informed that he would be attending Velindre every two weeks for treatment. This was going to take roughly 6 months, as the treatment would take 12 sessions.
As it was coming up to Christmas, Alun was asked if he’d like to defer the start of his Chemotherapy to February, in order to enjoy Christmas and New Year. However, after discussing his options with his wife, Alun bravely decided to start treatment as soon as possible.
And so, on New Years’ Day – Alun began his Chemotherapy treatment. Alun soon got to know our fantastic staff at Velindre well and has had nothing but lovely things to say about the team.
Labelling them as “outstanding”, Alun was particularly touched by their optimism, highlighting how everybody “work[s] with a smile on their face”.
From those sweeping the floor to the consultants and treatment teams, Alun was blown away by the “amazing” work that staff at Velindre do. He told us, “everybody I’ve met has been superb”.
By 20th June 2025, Alun had completed his treatment and was delighted to ring the bell at Velindre to make the end of his treatment. Fortunately, he received very positive results from his next CT scan!
Alun now visits Velindre every 3 months or so for precautionary CT scans to check all is well. After two years, Alun will be called in every 6 months, and following this, his visits will go down to once a year.
During his recovery, Alun began to read about other people’s experiences of cancer – particularly Sir Chris Hoy’s book. Hearing other inspiring stories motivated his desire to make a difference for others going through cancer diagnoses and treatment. He decided to raise some money for Velindre – and his idea blossomed into an inspiring story of community, dedication, and hope.
Alun lives in the village of Colwinston in the Vale of Glamorgan, and they were more than happy to get involved in Alun’s fundraising efforts – thus, Colly4Cancer was created! He put together a fantastic team of people, and together they organised 5 events to raise funds for Velindre.
Each event Alun and the team held was a huge success. They organised a lovely summer Village Golf Day complete with an awards ceremony, and a Ladies Ascot Day with a free glass of bubbly and delicious sweet treats. Both events were full of fun, celebration, and of course, coming together to raise money for Velindre!
The team even organised their own music festival – Collyfest! The festival was full of local talent including Aubrey, Richie Rich, and The Bridge. Everyone who attended enjoyed some fantastic music, great food, and a lovely community atmosphere. Juice and My Kinda Choir also performed at the festival – and every single penny raised went to Velindre.
The team didn’t stop there! They also took on a Taff Trail Bike Ride – cycling from Brecon to finish at the Norwegian church at Cardiff Bay. The team wanted as many people to join the ride as possible, so they organised 3 different distances for people to choose from – all ending up at the same destination to celebrate together! A well-earned buffet and drinks reception welcomed them home at the Sycamore Tree in Colwinston. During the ride, Alun was delighted to be joined by his brother Phil, who has been by his side throughout his cancer journey and a real rock to him over the last few years.
Finally, Alun and the team held a Q&A night with local legends. Alun described this night as his “dream”. He was so moved to see the effort people had put into the event, praising the “people [who] had given up their time” and expressing his gratitude at how “no one charged them”. The night was hosted by Wayne Hall, with plenty of interesting conversation from golf professional Lydia Hall, jockey Christian Williams, and professional rugby legend Gavin Henson. The team even organised a delicious hog roast to boost everyone’s energy in time for some live music! Everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed the experience, which was MC’d by Phil Steele, and Mike Ruddock ended the night with his fantastic band!
“The highlight of it all” – Alun on handing over an incredible £35,000 to Velindre on the night of his final event, attended by our President Jonathan ‘Jiffy’ Davies.
The presentation was also attended by staff members at Velindre – including a top Surgeon and a Senior Nurse taking on a position at the new hospital – which Alun was touched by.
The villagers were also presented with a well-deserved Award for Outstanding Contribution by Cllr Christine Cave, who represents Colwinston on the Vale Council, this New Years’ Day during the Annual Colley Ball and Auction charity fundraiser.
The extraordinary total achieved by Alun and the Colwinston team will have life-changing effects on cancer patients and services in Wales. Everyone at Velindre is completely blown away by the kindness and generosity not just of Alun and the team, but of everyone who supported and donated throughout their fundraising efforts.
Alun has been a genuine inspiration to us and to fellow and future patients at Velindre. His journey from receiving his first Chemotherapy treatment on New Years’ Day 2025 to completing a tremendous year of fundraising for Velindre and being presented with an incredible award on New Years’ Day 2026 is truly a testament to his determination, strength, and kindness.
Alun has been truly blown away by how his local community and friends rallied around him during this difficult time. He spoke so highly of his “team who’ve been around him” throughout his diagnosis and treatment, and what a “fantastic achievement for the village” the fundraising represents.
He reflects back on his journey as a “wonderful experience”, describing how “in a funny way, [he has] enjoyed the journey”. He says it has given him the “opportunity to see the full National Health Services in its glory” – from his GP to his surgical team, and of course, the team at Velindre. He also mentioned his gratitude to his “understanding, amazing” wife, who he “could not have made this journey without”. Alun’s experience has taught him to cherish everything he has in his life – and he encourages others to do the same. His advice to anyone? “If in doubt, check it out”.
On behalf of everyone at Velindre, we’d like to thank Alun and the villagers of Colwinston from the bottom of our hearts for everything they have done over the last year or so for Velindre. The villagers’ fundraising efforts went above and beyond, and we have been truly moved to see the hard work and dedication that went into organising all the lovely events over the last year or so. Generosity and dedication of this level is extremely rare and inspiring to see, and the funds raised will transform lives and offer hope to those affected by cancer.
Has Alun’s incredible story inspired you?
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