Maggie's Highlands in Inverness can help people with cancer regain a sense of control
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Residents in Inverness are being encouraged to help a Highland cancer charity by donating to its festive fundraising.
Maggie’s Highlands, which is based in the grounds of Raigmore Hospital, launched the JustGiving Christmas Appeal at the beginning of the month.
Organisers are hoping people will donate anything from £1 to £10 to help make a difference to people living with cancer and their families.
Maggie’s relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to cover the £500,000 annual running costs – the money raised will help support the Maggie’s Highlands Children’s Support Group as well as more than 450 people with cancer supported by the charity on a weekly basis.
Centre head Seonaid Green said: “Having watched Maggie’s grow from the first and only centre and being involved in developing many aspects of the core programme of support, I am extremely passionate about the difference Maggie’s can make in someone’s experience of cancer.
“We support around 400 visitors each week. This includes a 50/50 split of around 200 visitors coming through the doors to our centre in Inverness, and 200 others attending support groups online or one-to-one via the telephone.
“Our online Zoom and phone sessions began in lockdown and is something we have continued to do so that we can reach all of the outlying islands and areas in the Highlands from Lewis to Wick and Benbecula to Thurso and down to Aviemore.
“Maggie’s Highlands covers a land mass of 41 per cent in Scotland so we are fulfilling a huge proportion of the need for cancer support in Scotland.
“Some of our centre visitors are extremely distressed, but most will leave with a smile and feel more confident about what lies ahead.
“At Maggie’s, we can offer clear and accurate support at what for many can be a time of great uncertainty and change.
“The unpredictability of cancer is one of the greatest challenges our centre users face but our highly skilled professional team of staff can help people to regain a sense of control just when they need it most.
“And that includes emotional and psychological help too and we can provide help with cost of living needs that people with cancer face and enable them to access benefits too.”
Maggie’s has more than 25 years of experience providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK.
Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, the centres are warm and welcoming, and run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer.
The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996. Maggie’s now has 24 centres in the UK and a growing international network.
Maggie’s Highlands is a warm and welcoming place, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.
Andrew Benjamin, centre fundraising manager urged people to give what they can afford to the Maggie’s Christmas Appeal for 2022.
He says: “It costs £500,000 to run Maggie’s Highlands for a year. It’s a huge amount of money and while we work incredibly hard to make it happen, we do rely mostly on the generosity of people including individuals and companies.
“Many people assume because we are situated beside Raigmore Hospital that we receive NHS funding but that is not the case. Everything that we are able to achieve in helping people to live well with cancer is through the kindness and fundraising efforts of the public and for that we are extremely grateful.
“I would urge people to give whatever they can this Christmas to support people with cancer when they need it most. Whether it’s £1, £3, £5 or £10 and means forfeiting your morning coffee for a week or a Secret Santa gift this Christmas, please give what you can to Maggie’s to support people with cancer and their families.”
• To donate, visit Just Giving.
