This June, seven teams from Neilsons comprising 28 staff members, are stepping up to the challenge of covering the distance between all of the Maggie’s Centres in Scotland – a whopping 288 miles! Our teams will be covering a total distance of 2,016 miles within the month to raise as much money as possible for Maggie’s.
Maggie’s Centres were founded by writer and designer Maggie Keswick Jencks, with the first Maggie’s Centre opening at The Western General Hospital here in Edinburgh in 1996. Whilst undergoing cancer treatment herself, Maggie noticed that hospitals in general are not patient friendly and came up with the idea for a cancer caring centre. Understanding the impact that the hospital environment can have on well-being, Maggie and her husband Charles Jencks created a blueprint for a home from home environment for cancer patients and their families – a place where they can get help, support and advice close to the hospital but in a relaxing and tranquil environment.
Maggie firmly believed that with the right support people “would not lose the joy of living in the fear of dying” when diagnosed with cancer.
There are now 28 wonderful Maggie’s Centres across the UK and around the world making a huge difference to cancer patients, as experienced first-hand by our Property Consultant Amy Howard.
Amy said: “I reached out to Maggie’s as my cancer treatment came to an end in 2020. Throughout chemotherapy and radiotherapy I was on a sort of hamster-wheel of hospital appointments and treatments. When all that finished I had a gruelling 3 month wait before I could have a scan to see if it had all worked. I was exhausted, bald and felt quite lost without the hospital interventions I’d become so used to but Maggie’s supported me, with one on one counselling, support for my kids to process and understand everything that had happened to me and with their brilliant ‘Where Now?’ course, which helps patients process what they’ve been through and find a way to see the bright future ahead. I would urge anyone going through cancer treatment to speak to Maggie’s, their knowledge and support is invaluable.”
Amy and our team are delighted to take on this challenge and give something back to Maggie’s.
Mark Cooper, Centre Fundraising Manager for Maggie’s Edinburgh added: “Maggie’s relies entirely on donations to run our vital service, everyone at Maggie’s is so grateful to Neilsons and the teams taking part. By doing so you’re helping people with cancer living in your local community, thank you.”
Miles for Maggie’s is a sponsored challenge which will see our teams walk, run, cycle and swim to cover the distance with added FUNdraising events and social activities along the way. It is a great opportunity to bring our teams together again after the pandemic and the constraints of home working and we’re all really excited to get stared on the 1st of June.
Please do follow our adventures on our social media channels. If you’d like to sponsor us then we’d be very grateful, click on the link below or scan the QR code at the top of this page!
Visit our JustGiving page here!
