AWMGS Celebrates Success at Moondance Cancer Awards 2026

We are celebrating success at the Moondance Cancer Awards 2026, with four nominations and two award wins, recognising both collaborative innovation and individual excellence.

Award-Winning Collaboration Driving Innovation in Cancer Treatment

AWMGS Solid Tumour Team are an integral part of the South East Wales Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) Team, which received recognition in the 'Cancer Treatment' - Innovation & Improvement category.

This award celebrates a truly collaborative, patient-centred approach to managing CUP (a complex cancer often diagnosed at an advanced stage), bringing together partners from across multiple Health Boards, organisations and disciplinaries - the partners included in this award-winning team are;

• Velindre Cancer Service

• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

• Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board

• Aneurin Bevan Health Board

• NHS Wales Performance and Improvement

• Centre for Trials Research at Cardiff University

• NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee

• Wales Cancer Research Centre

Through strong collaboration across oncology, radiology and pathology, the team has developed a comprehensive service to address the challenges associated with CUPs. Key innovations include the introduction of a bespoke e-referral system, implementation of a patient feedback framework, and the integration of molecular profiling as standard practice.

These improvements have led to more timely and accurate diagnoses, enhanced treatment planning, and improved patient outcomes. The work has also driven a significant increase in referrals and treatment rates, while earning national recognition and influencing best practice across the UK.

AWMGS is proud to have contributed to this work, demonstrating the vital role genomics plays in modern cancer care and the importance of collaboration in delivering innovation at scale.

Recognising Individual Excellence

In addition to our Solid Tumour Team's success, Dr Alex Murray, Consultant Geneticist at AWMGS, was recognised in the Excellence category for outstanding leadership and contribution to cancer genomics services.

During a period of significant growth in demand, Dr Murray demonstrated exceptional leadership as Clinical Director, guiding the service through a 25% increase in cancer genetics referrals while maintaining safe, timely care for patients.

Among Dr Murray’s many achievements is the introduction of a medically-led triage system to prioritise referrals and streamline clinical pathways, improving both service efficiency and patient experience. Dr Murray also played a key role in implementing the UK Somatic Variant Interpretation Guidelines (UK-SVIG) within AWMGS, enhancing the consistency and quality of genomic interpretation.

This leadership has strengthened clinical pathways, increased service capacity, and supported the development and training of the wider workforce, ensuring AWMGS is well positioned to meet the evolving demands of cancer genomics.

This award is highly deserved and reflects not only Dr Murray’s dedication and expertise, but also the strength and innovation of her team, who worked so hard to achieve this standard of care for patients.

Recognising Wider Achievement Across AWMGS 

AWMGS were also shortlisted a further two times for initiatives focused on strengthening workforce capability and improving patient pathways.

Our Bioinformatics Team were recognised for the implementation of the UK Somatic Variant Interpretation Guidelines (UK-SVIG) across the service. This major initiative brought together around 70 scientists from five specialist laboratory teams to deliver a nationally aligned approach to variant classification. Through the development of a bespoke web application and a comprehensive training programme, the project has supported more consistent, accurate genomic interpretation. Since implementation, more than 1,100 unique variants have been classified across over 3,000 classifications—enhancing clinical decision-making and aligning practice with national standards.

Cancer Genomics Services Workforce Stacking Model, developed in response to increasing demand and capacity challenges. Using Lean methodology, this innovative model improves visibility of workload and enables teams to dynamically prioritise work, reducing delays and improving coordination across pathways. As a result, patients are experiencing faster access to genetic testing and more streamlined care, while staff benefit from improved collaboration, reduced duplication, and increased capacity to focus on value-adding activities.

Congratulations!

These awards and recognitions highlight the strength and tenacity of our service. Together, they demonstrate the service’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality genomic services that improve patient care.

AWMGS extends its congratulations to all colleagues and partners involved in these achievements!!