Holyrood honour for dedicated Inverness cancer charity nurse
A dedicated cancer charity worker from Inverness was one of 150 community nurses honoured with a special reception event at the Scottish Parliament.
Eilidh Wilson, who is a cancer support specialist for Maggie’s the national cancer charity, last night (Tiuesday) attended a special Queen’s Nurses’ reception sponsored by the MSP Jackie Baillie in Holyrood’s Garden Lobby.
Eilidh (49), who has worked for Maggie’s for the last four years, received the title of Queen’s Nurse after graduating from the Queen’s Nurse programme in 2021.
She beamed: “The reception was held to celebrate the 150 community nurses and midwives that have been awarded the contemporary Queen’s Nurse title since its reintroduction in 2017.
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“Our chief executive, Dame Laura Lee was offered one space on the Queen’s Nurse program in 2020, and I was very lucky to be given the place. It has been a real honour to be able to add the Queen’s Nurse title in my role as a cancer support specialist at Maggie’s.
“In my daily role at Maggie’s Highlands, I work with many people living with cancer and their partners, their families and friends too. We help people with cancer in the family to live their best lives before, during and after treatment - offering as much advice and support as possible.”
Maggie’s was the vision of Maggie Keswick Jencks who had an idea for a different type of cancer care as she lived with advanced cancer for two years. She died in 1995, but Dame Laura Lee, who was a young oncology nurse at the time at the Western General Hospital and Maggie’s friend, worked with Maggie’s family to ensure her vision became a reality.
Dame Laura Lee, Maggie’s CEO, added: “I am really delighted for Eilidh to have received the Queen’s Nurse title for her work in cancer care. For the last XX years, Eilidh has always had a smile on her face to welcome centre visitors to Maggie’s Highlands, and she has worked with great dedication to support local people in the Highlands to live their lives better with cancer.
“I hope that by announcing Eilidh’s award this means that more people will hear about us and come to our centres to get the support they need.”
Maggie’s offers free expert support to people with cancer in its 24 centres across the UK. The staff are there to support people before, during and after a cancer diagnosis. They offer support for a wide range of issues including dealing with stress and anxiety, questions about treatment, advice for money worries and finding ways to live well with cancer.
There are men’s support groups on offer, as well as specific cancer type groups, exercise and nutrition workshops and one to one support with a psychologist. The charity also supports the family and friends of those with a cancer diagnosis.
If you or anyone you know has cancer, they can just come into any of the centres, there is no need for a referral or appointment.
For more information and to find your nearest centre visit www.maggies.org.
