No stranger, to the media Mari Grug has discussed her cancer battle
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Welsh presenter Mari Grug has shared her personal experience of living with metastatic cancer in a new S4C documentary(Image: S4C)
A Welsh TV presenter has opened up about her cancer battle, to raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Mari Grug, has been sharing her journey through social media, in interviews and on screen since her breast cancer diagnosis in 2023. Since then, her cancer unfortunately spread and now she is sharing her personal experience of living with metastatic cancer in a documentary on S4C.
No stranger, to the media Mari has discussed her battle on her podcast ‘1 mewn 2’ and in her new book ‘Dal i fod yn fi’, but now she will be letting the cameras in during her new documentary Mari Grug: Un dydd ar y tro (one day at a time).
The cameras will follow Mari as she faces treatment, physical and emotional challenges, as well as moments of joy with her family and young children. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here
Mari explained: “The aim of the programme is to show that life can carry on even though I have metastatic breast cancer, and to prove that I can be a mother, a wife, a friend, and a presenter while living with stage 4 cancer.”
The presenter is a familiar face to S4c viewers, having fronted Heno and Prynhawn Da for years. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, at the age of 38 and is now living with metastatic cancer which has spread to her lymph nodes and liver.
Despite the challenging and difficult battle ahead of her, Mari emphasises that a diagnosis of metastatic cancer doesn’t mean the end of the story.
She said: “I want people to know that if you’re diagnosed with metastatic cancer, don’t lose hope. Be realistic, yes, but don’t think ‘that’s it.’ Treatments are developing all the time. You can live a full life with the condition.
“When I heard the cancer had spread, I was told, ‘there isn’t much we can do,’ and that palliative care was the only thing available. That was a blow.
“People think of palliative care as end-of-life care. But in reality, this kind of care has developed significantly.
“There were a lot of challenges in those early months after I received the diagnosis that the cancer had spread, and I was shocked that I had to fight. I ended up becoming a kind of production manager of my own illness. Maybe, on paper, the doctors weren’t going to offer me surgery because it was considered too far gone.”
“It felt like they had some kind of ‘flow chart’ deciding who gets what, rather than thinking about the individual. I was 38, a mother to three small children, and I just wanted to feel like they were going to do everything possible to help me.”
The cameras will follow Mari as she faces treatment, physical and emotional challenges, as well as moments of joy with her family and young children. (Image: S4C)
When Mari had the news that he cancer had returned, she decided to fight and remain positive for the sake of her family.
She said: “When you hear that you have a condition that’s going to end your life sooner than you’d like, every extra year is a gift. I just want to see my children reach the milestones in their lives, and make the most of the time I have with them.
“I’m trying to show them that life is still valuable, even with a diagnosis like this. I’m ill, but I’m still here. And we’re going to make the most of every moment. I’m lucky I can still do that.”
The Breast cancer lead for Wales Macmillan, Marguerite Holloway has described Mari as an inspiration. She said: “Mari has been so inspiring in raising awareness of living with secondary breast cancer, and she has been so open and honest about her diagnosis.
“We need more awareness to improve services for people living with secondary breast cancer in Wales, and this will help families and those diagnosed with cancer help find the support and help they need. We are really grateful for everything Mari has done.”
The documentary, Mari Grug: Un dydd ar y tro, will be broadcast on Sunday, October 26 at 9.00 pm on S4C. It will also be available to watch on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer, with the option of English subtitles.