Mother asks hospital repay £650,000 she donated after death of her son

A mother who was awarded an MBE for fundraising has demanded the hospital who cared for her dying son repay the £650,000 she donated because it has failed to invest the money.

Chris Evans-Thomas lost her 35-year-old son Adam to leukaemia in 2004.

His last wish was to improve cancer services at Withybush hospital in Haverfordwest but, 10 years later, his legacy has still not been invested.

As his illness progressed, Mr Evans-Thomas wanted to give something back to the hospitals that had helped him and he began raising money through the Adam's Bucketful of Hope appeal to refurbish the cancer ward at Withybush and build a new cancer day unit.

When he died, his mother took on the legacy and through the high-profile nature of her son's campaign, she helped to raise £649,776 for cancer services in Pembrokeshire.

She told the BBC she had repeatedly been given dates for when his wish would be fulfilled but it never has, and now she wants the money back to reinvest into the Pembrokeshire community.

She added her son would be "very, very saddened" that the money had yet to be invested.

Ms Evans-Thomas, who has received an MBE for her fundraising, said she would not give up until she had "got something to show, to have some meaning why Adam had to go".

Hywel Dda health board said £550,000 had been set aside for the refurbishment of the main cancer ward at Withybush and to build a cancer day unit.