When mother of one Elen Thomas was diagnosed with a devastating lung cancer she decided not to ask how long she has got but to “live my best life” and make happy memories. The singer and TV make up artist from Ynysybwl first noticed something was wrong when a cough she got with a bout of Covid lingered.
Elen, 42, who has worked on productions including The Crown, Poldark and Bridgerton, noticed tiny flecks of blood coming up with her cough. Then she felt a slight lump in her chest when she moved in bed or bent to tie her shoelaces.
“I didn’t feel ill but mentioned it to one of the medical team at work and he said I should get it checked out," she said.
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Within weeks of first noticing she was ill in June 2021 Elen, originally from Dolgellau, was diagnosed with muco epidermoid carcinoma, a rare lung cancer. In August that year she had a third of her right lung removed in surgery at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
After the operation more tests revealed the grim news the cancer had spread to her brain and in October 2021 Elen also began treatment for that. She had specialist radiotherapy in Bristol and was put on “inhibitor” medication which reduced the tumours in her brain from 11 to now two.
Despite the devastating diagnosis Elen said she has not felt especially ill at any time and in April this year felt well enough to take her son to Japan to celebrate his 11th birthday visiting the Nintendo Park in Osaka. But disaster struck as they were called to board the flight at Heathrow when Elen had a sudden and unexpected seizure.
Rushed to hospital Elen had to cancel the trip and lost all her money because her illness meant she had not been eligible for any travel insurance, It had been a risk she was willing to take because she had never had a seizure before, was not feeling ill and all her treatments were going well.
“I lost the flight money and lost it all. It was so weird as I was not feeling stressed or anxious and have never had a seizure before or since. We had been booked to go to Universal Studios in Osaka and the Nintendo Park because my son is crazy about Nintendo.”
Now Elen is trying to raise funds to go out to Japan again with her son, this time with a companion in case something should happen to her. In the meantime she took him karting in Wales to celebrate his birthday and says she wants to create happy memories for him.
“I want us to do things together. It’s about enjoying things for today. No one knows how long they have got.
“I have not asked doctors for my prognosis and I don’t want to ask because if someone gives you three years that can become a self fulfilling prophecy. I don’t know and haven’t asked but the average time for people to be on the tablets I am on now is 24 months.”
Elen now wants to “live the best life I can” doing things with her son and also singing. Although she has had to stop working because of her illness she has continued to sing and record.
Before she was hit by cancer Elen released a single Lazy Alibis from her album, Beautifully Imperfect. In 2020 that reached number five in the itunes singer songwriter charts while the album went to number 9 in the itunes singer songwriter album charts.
Describing her style as “folky pop” Elen has a band called Eating Elkie Barton and has a new duet called Beautiful Distractions with Cardiff musician Chris Stoodley.
For now Elen is trying to keep positive and share as much time as she can with her son, who she home educates. She hopes to take him to Japan if she can raise money to re-book the trip and pay for a chaperone to go with her.
“I am already on my second line of inhibitor medicine, which are only due to last 24 months, then the only treatment available is chemotherapy, which I’ve been told won’t work because the brain tumours are buried so deep in my brain.
“I’m collecting money to try to get us back to japan with a chaperone as I’ve been told I’m not allowed to be alone.
“And I’d like to get to a treatment centre in America for a feasibility assessment to see if the cancer can be cured.”
* Elen is raising funds to take her son to Japan with a chaperone through GoFundMe. The fundraising page to donate to is here
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