The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Penguin Parade set to
It costs a staggering £2,400 a day to run Maggie’s Dundee, and the number of visitors is on the rise
There are more than two million people in the UK living with, through and beyond cancer – with 300,000 new diagnoses each year.
And until a cure for cancer is found, that figure shows no sign of abating.
It costs a staggering £2,400 a day to run Maggie’s Dundee, a centre which offers free practical, emotional and social support to those affected by cancer. The centre received more than 12,000 visits in 2017 – around 50-70 people a day. And since 2016, there’s been an increase of 15% in visits from people newly diagnosed with cancer.
If it wasn’t for its supporters, Maggie’s centres would struggle to survive.
“At Maggie’s, we are constantly amazed at the generosity and creativity of our supporters,” says Annie Long, fundraising manager for Maggie’s Dundee. “The centre costs £540,000 per year to run, all raised through the efforts of wonderful friends.
“Our team of psychologists, cancer support specialists, benefits advisor and fundraisers are here to help. It’s a drop-in service; no referral is needed.”
Never been inside Maggie’s Dundee? It’s perhaps not what you expect.
Here, you can always be sure of a warm welcome, a cup of tea, and a biscuit or a slice of cake. It’s an uplifting, inspiring, welcoming, warm and friendly hub of positivity, despite the fact most of the centre’s users are, in some way, affected by cancer.
On the day I visit, a group of people – including a GP, an engineer, a craft worker and a sales assistant – are taking part in a mindfulness and meditation session, and consultant clinical psychologist and centre head Lesley Howells invites me to join in.
“The session helps you choose where you place your awareness, rather than being swept by any worries or stress,” explains Lesley.
There’s a “debrief” during which participants share their post-session feelings, and Malita Kilgour, 54, says she feels “warm and happy”.
“It gives you the confidence to bring yourself back and deal with all the s**t that seemed insurmountable,” she adds.
Lecturer and mum-of-two Malita arrived at the centre three days after being diagnosed with a rare cancer.
“I was a mess,” she recalls. “I was a heap in the car and someone had to bring me inside. Since then, I’ve never looked back.
“You go inside and feel completely calm. You talk to people and if someone breaks down, it doesn’t matter.
“If you’re with friends and family, it feels awkward and can be hard to talk to them. But here, everyone understands.”
After major surgery, which involved the removal of Malita’s spleen, she feels much better but she’s been left with a low immune system and had to give up work. It’s an anxious time as she waits to see if she’s got the all-clear and continues to get her bloods done every three months, but she always looks forward to her trips to Maggie’s.
Meanwhile, retired civil engineer Willie Auld, 65, gets the bus from Perth to Maggie’s once a week.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015, his bowels and bladder were badly damaged by radiotherapy.
“I found that hard to take and was a bit of a mess but the minute I walked in to Maggie’s, I felt relaxed,” he says.
“People were smiling and laughing and I realised it was okay to be upset and emotional. I had a one-to-one with Lesley who suggested mindfulness and I love how meditating brings me back to ‘right now’.”
Retired GP Anne Ince, 66, from Auchtermuchty, attends sessions weekly.
“I had primary breast cancer in 1999 and in 2015, they found a slow growing secondary cancer under my sternum,” she explains.
“I had laser surgery on the tumour but it affected my vocal cords and made me short of breath, meaning I struggle to do things I love like kayaking and hillwalking and even going up stairs.
“I felt very down after the treatment and Lesley suggested mindfulness which really helps. The centre is a great place to pop in for a cup of tea and a chat.”
Retired sales worker Bob Cook, 78, has been coming to Maggie’s since the start of 2017 after developing an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
“I had surgery in June 2016 and the clinic recommended Maggie’s,” he recalls. “Everyone is in the same boat and you open up.”
Anyone who visits is free to take part in the programme of activities, with everything from nutrition and creative writing workshops to walking, gardening and bereavement groups on offer. The centre has a team of qualified professionals who offer a programme of support shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing during treatment and recovery.
One of cancer support specialist Lorna Mcgoldrick’s roles is to provide a warm welcome for people dropping in.
“People might be in shock or they might want to cry. We can take them into private nooks and crannies and bring them to an area where they feel sheltered.
“Others come in and want advice on wigs or hats, or to read books. I see people reaching out to one another, showing kindness, courage, strength, incredible spirit and huge generosity despite difficult circumstances.”
Benefits adviser Sheila Kidd’s job is to reduce some of the stress experienced by people diagnosed with cancer, helping them work out what benefits they’re entitled to and offering practical help filling in complex forms.
“Some travel from miles away, spending a fortune on fuel, so they need help with grants,” she says.
“Others aren’t able to work and worry how they’ll pay the mortgage or look after their families.”
It’s important to Lesley that people and their families feel comfortable dropping into Maggie’s any time, trusting that they will help them work out what kind of cancer support is right for them.
“This could include financial advice, emotional support, help to make healthy changes to their lifestyle or advice about talking with their employer or their children,” she says.
“Maggie’s Dundee is proud to work alongside our NHS and local council colleagues to help people deal with the practical and emotional impact of cancer.”