Monty leads fundraising drive for a new Maggie's cancer centre

Published on Monday 21 June 2010 21:56

THE charity set up by Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie in memory of his mother is to spearhead a fundraising drive to build a Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre for families affected by cancer across the north-east of Scotland.

Montgomerie established the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation (EMF) in memory of his mother, who died of lung cancer in 1991.

And it was revealed yesterday that the foundation has appointed a local board to raise the 3 million needed to open the new Maggie's Centre in the grounds of NHS Grampian's Foresterhill hospitals complex in Aberdeen.

The Scottish golfer, who has already raised the funds needed to build a Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre at Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire, said the new centre in Aberdeen would create a lasting and valuable legacy in his mother's name.

"As soon as I walked into a Maggie's Centre I knew that their support would have made a major difference to my family when we were coping with my mother's illness," Montgomerie said.

"I am determined to work with Maggie's to ensure that people living with cancer no longer have to suffer alone."

The appeal committee is being chaired by Colin Welsh, the Aberdeen-based chief executive of the international corporate finance division of energy investment bank Simmons and Company.

Mr Welsh, who has had first-hand experience of being diagnosed with cancer, said: "The service that Maggie's provides to cancer sufferers and their families is both invaluable and unique. Aberdeen is the only city in Scotland not to have a Maggie's Centre, and we aim to put that right."

He added: "Maggie's Aberdeen will be based on the grounds of Foresterhill Hospital and will offer support to the thousands of people affected by cancer in the region, as well as their family and friends."

Laura Lee, the chief executive of Maggie's, praised the support of Montgomerie's foundation. She said: "It is truly wonderful that, through the support of EMF, we will now have a Maggie's centre in every major city in Scotland, leading the way for the rest of the UK and beyond."

Richard Carey, the chief executive of NHS Grampian explained: "This new centre will complement the comprehensive treatment and support services currently in the region. Maggie's centres work alongside the NHS and offer professional, evidence-based emotional, practical and psychological support to everyone facing cancer. This centre will make a great difference to people across the North-east."

The Monklands Maggie's Centre was the first project to be funded by the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation.

A spokeswoman for Maggie's said: "The inaugural Maggie's Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996. There are now six permanent centres, including Glasgow, Dundee, Fife, Highlands and London – with plans to build a further seven centres in the next two years: Oxford, Cotswolds, Swansea, Newcastle, Nottingham, Lanarkshire and Aberdeen."

She added: "Maggie's Centres offer free-of-charge emotional support and practical advice to anyone affected by any kind of cancer.

"The programme of support includes benefits advice, support group and one-to-one sessions with psychologists, nutrition advice, a library of information and cancer support specialists on hand to answer questions, relaxation techniques, courses of living with cancer, classes for carers and much more."