Latest news with #Maggies
Free Malaysia Today
12-07-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Charles and Kate's cancer struggles having profound impact on fellow sufferers
King Charles and Princess Kate have both returned to official duties. Charles is still receiving cancer treatment while Kate's cancer is in remission. (AFP pic) LONDON : King Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate's public battles with cancer have had a huge impact on fellow sufferers, encouraging them to be open about the difficulties of coping with the illness, a leading cancer support charity says. The news that both the 76-year-old monarch and Kate, 43, wife of his elder son and heir Prince William, were both undergoing treatment for the disease in early 2024 shocked Britain, but their response has been praised by medical professionals and those who help people with the condition. While both have returned to official duties, Charles is still receiving treatment and Kate's workload remains closely controlled despite her now being in remission. Laura Lee, the chief executive of Maggie's which runs support centres based next to hospitals, said the two royals' open discussions of their own personal issues in coping with the illness had had a profound impact. 'For the king, talking as a man and talking about living with an ongoing treatment of cancer, that has helped men talk about cancer,' she told Reuters. 'We saw last year a 12% increase of men coming into Maggie's Centres directly as a result of the king being open about his cancer diagnosis.' 'I think what Princess Kate has brought to it is a different experience, now she's talking about having finished her treatment but still having to live with the ongoing impacts of that treatment.' Earlier this month, shortly after she pulled out of an engagement, Kate said she had put on a 'brave face' during her cancer treatment, describing the experience as being like a 'rollercoaster'. 'I felt exactly the same as she did,' Tracey Bradshaw, 56, who is being monitored after being treated for bladder cancer in 2021, told Reuters at a Maggie's Centre in west London. 'It's … the aftermath when the appointments start to trail off … you don't see that lovely clinical nurse specialist that you absolutely adore or you haven't got that sort of regular trips to … whatever clinic you go to and I really identified with that.'
Reuters
10-07-2025
- Health
- Reuters
King Charles and Princess Kate's cancer struggles having profound impact, charity boss says
LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - King Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate's public battles with cancer have had a huge impact on fellow sufferers, encouraging them to be open about the difficulties of coping with the illness, a leading cancer support charity says. The news that both the 76-year-old monarch and Kate, 43, wife of his elder son and heir Prince William, were both undergoing treatment for the disease in early 2024 shocked Britain, but their response has been praised by medical professionals and those who help people with the condition. While both have returned to official duties, Charles is still receiving treatment and Kate's workload remains closely controlled despite her now being in remission. Laura Lee, the chief executive of Maggie's which runs support centres based next to hospitals, said the two royals' open discussions of their own personal issues in coping with the illness had had a profound impact. "For the king, talking as a man and talking about living with an ongoing treatment of cancer, that has helped men talk about cancer," she told Reuters. "We saw last year a 12% increase of men coming into Maggie's Centres directly as a result of the king being open about his cancer diagnosis." "I think what Princess Kate has brought to it is a different experience, now she's talking about having finished her treatment but still having to live with the ongoing impacts of that treatment." Earlier this month, shortly after she pulled out of an engagement, Kate said she had put on a "brave face" during her cancer treatment, describing the experience as being like a "rollercoaster". "I felt exactly the same as she did," Tracey Bradshaw, 56, who is being monitored after being treated for bladder cancer in 2021, told Reuters at a Maggie's Centre in west London. "It's ... the aftermath when the appointments start to trail off ... you don't see that lovely clinical nurse specialist that you absolutely adore or you haven't got that sort of regular trips to ... whatever clinic you go to and I really identified with that."
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Queen Camilla braves the rain to visit a Maggie's cancer care centre in Scotland as she praises staff's 'invaluable' work
As the Princess of Wales talked today about the 'rollercoaster' of cancer recovery, her mother-in-law, Queen Camilla, praised the 'invaluable' work of Maggie's cancer care centres. The Queen, 77, was visiting one of its 24 centres nationwide at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, in her role as Maggie's President. Greeting its inspirational founder and chief executive, Dame Laura Lee, with a warm hug, Her Majesty spoke of how 'brilliant' the centres were for patients and their families. 'There is something so special about them,' she said. Maggie's Fife was set up in 2006 with the help of £161 million Euromillions lottery winner Christine Harkness, who is now an honorary patron. She met the Queen today, who thanked her profusely for her support. She was also greeted by Sarah Brown, wife of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and journalist Kirsty Wark, also honorary patrons of the charity. Camilla also met with people living with cancer - like her husband, the King - to hear about how they are supported by Maggie's, sipping from a mug of tea. She also made a point of thanking volunteers, saying: 'It couldn't operate without people like you.' Maggie's has long been a trailblazer for cancer care, providing free psychological, emotional and practical support for anyone living with cancer, as well as their family and friends. The centres are built outside of the hospitals they are attached to in order to provide a comforting space away from the rigorous of diagnosis and treatment, allowing people to be supported by those who understand what they are going through. Speaking after the visit, during which Camilla posed for a photograph with guests at the event, Dame Laura said: 'It is always a joy to welcome Her Majesty to one of our centres, especially one she has never been to before. 'As always, she was incredibly generous with her time and listened closely to our centre visitors as they shared their stories. We are so grateful for her continued support.' Gregor Forbes, 37, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma in January 2022, added: ' She was warm, friendly and interested to hear what I had to say about my own cancer experience and how I had been supported by Maggie's in Fife. It's a day I will never forget.' The Queen has been President of Maggie's since 2008 and has now visited 18 of the 24 centres across the UK. With centres soon to open in North Wales, Northampton and Middlesbrough, there will be 27 centres in the UK by the end of 2025. Elsewhere, King Charles appeared moved as he and Queen Camilla unveiled a memorial stone marking the spot where Queen Elizabeth's coffin lay in Edinburgh 's historic St Giles' Cathedral on Wednesday. Greeting its inspirational founder and chief executive, Dame Laura Lee, with a warm hug, Her Majesty (pictured) spoke of how 'brilliant' the centres were for patients and their families The couple attended a short but meaningful service of dedication for the black slate stone, engraved with the Scottish crown and ER cypher together with the date when Her Late Majesty rested on her final journey back down to London after dying at Balmoral in 2022. Rev Dr Scott Rennie, Minister of St Giles, told them: 'We give thanks for our great sovereign who lived a life of deep faith, humble service and unwavering devotion to duty. 'We honour her legacy of constantly in times of change, of grave in moments of challenge and of steadfast commitment to the people she served. 'As this stone becomes in time a place of memory, let it also be a sign of inspiration, calling all who pass by to live lives of self-giving love, steadfast devotion and commitment to the common good. ' A service of thanksgiving and vigil took place in the cathedral on September 12 and 13 2022. The new permanent memorial is located on the floor near the Holy Table where Queen Elizabeth's coffin lay. No other sovereign has had such a Service of Thanksgiving in Scotland, with the breadth of Scottish society in attendance. Following the service, a vigil was held and, over the following 23 hours, more than 33,000 people queued to pay their respects. The late Queen's children, including the King, also held their own vigil for their mother. While her coffin was present in the cathedral, the Royal Company of Archers, the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, mounted guard - and some of the same officers were present today. The engraving on the stone was carried out by Roxanne Kindersley from the renowned Cardozo Kindersley Workshop in Cambridge, who also met the King and chatted about some of her other work he had seen, he described it as 'brilliant'. Rev Dr Scott Rennie, minister of St Giles', said: 'It has been a great honour and privilege to welcome Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla back to St Giles' for such a special event as we commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth, who visited the cathedral many times, with the Dedication of the Memorial Stone. 'It is fitting that St Giles', which has been at the heart of Scottish civic and religious life for more than 900 years, was able to host the 33,000 people who came to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth. 'St Giles' was probably founded by David I in around 1124 so there has been a strong royal connection since the beginning.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Queen meets cancer patients on visit to Maggie's centre
The Queen has met people living with cancer during a visit to the charity Maggie's, which she is president of. Arriving in heavy rain, Camilla was greeted by Maggie's chief executive Dame Laura Lee before moving inside to meet staff, volunteers and centre users. Maggie's Fife opened in 2006 in the grounds of Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy and was the first permanent structure in the UK by architect Dame Zaha Hadid. Built in the grounds of NHS hospitals, the cancer support charity centres aim to provide a comforting space where patients can meet others who understand what they are going through. Camilla has been president of the charity since 2008 and since then has visited 17 out of the 24 centres. During her visit on Wednesday, the Queen also met campaigner Sarah Brown and broadcaster Kirsty Wark who have both long been patrons of Maggie's. Mrs Brown, wife of former prime minister Gordon Brown, said: 'I think it's really special for the Queen to come to the Maggie's here in Kirkcaldy. 'I know that there has been a warm welcome for both the King and the Queen coming to Fife and I'm so pleased she was able to make time to come to the Maggie's. 'This, I think, is one of the real gems. I was here at the opening a long time ago and I've seen it grow to become such an important part of the community. 'There are people here with cancer who need it, and their families, but also people are fundraising for it and they just feel so connected to it.' Mrs Brown said the Queen seemed interested to hear about the young people's group at the centre. She added: 'I was very struck by her hearing about the young people's group here because that is an area of concern in that field, that there are more and more young people with cancer and trying to understand why that is and what's happening in our lives, and that was definitely something she homed in on and understood it was a concern. 'She was pleased to hear there is such an active young person's group here.' Wark, who has been a Maggie's patron for more than 20 years, said the Queen is 'incredibly committed' to Maggie's and her visit on Wednesday meant a lot to those at the Fife centre. She said: 'When the Queen is here what she wants to do is speak to centre users, they are the best advocates for Maggie's and often you will find that a centre user becomes a volunteer.' The Queen also met Gregor Forbes, 37, who was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin Lymphoma in January 2022, seven days before his son was born. He underwent six months of chemotherapy and has since been in remission. He joined a discussion with the Queen, Mrs Brown and Wark and told them about his experience taking part in the young person's group at Maggie's. Mr Forbes, who lives in Rosyth in Fife, said: 'The Queen seemed really warm and really engaged and it was really nice that she came. 'It's a day I will never forget.' Maggie's was founded by the late writer, gardener and designer Maggie Keswick Jencks and her husband, the late landscape designer Charles Jencks. The idea for the centres came after she was diagnosed with cancer and was then told in 1993 that it had returned and was moved to a windowless corridor to process the news. The first Maggie's opened in Edinburgh in 1996. Dame Laura said: 'It is always a joy to welcome Her Majesty to one of our centres, especially one she has never been to before. 'As always, she was incredibly generous with her time and listened closely to our centre visitors as they shared their stories. 'We are so grateful for her continued support.'
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Stunning English hospital with woodland gardens named one of the world's most beautiful buildings
A STUNNING cancer centre has been named as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and it is right here in the UK. Maggie's in Yorkshire is no ordinary hospital building - in fact, back in 2022 it won the RIBA Yorkshire Award and the RIBA Yorkshire Building of the Year Award. 5 5 Commended for it's design, Maggie's is located in the middle of St James' University Hospital campus in Leeds and opened back in 2020. And now it has also just been named as the 19th most beautiful building in the world by Time Out (and the only one in the UK to make the list). Maggie's is a charity for cancer patients and the centre in Yorkshire was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who is known for also designing the London 2012 Olympic cauldron and the revamp of Coal Drop's Yard in King's Cross, London. Time Out commented: "Hospitals tend to be uncomfortable places characterised by too-bright strip lighting and unnervingly squeaky surfaces, but not at this Maggie's Centre. "The charity has striven to build personal environments to support cancer sufferers and their families, and this space is comforting and stunning." The exterior of the building is made up of whitewashed timber and dark bronze elements, surrounded by greenery and shrubs. Unlike the clinical greys and whites of usual hospital buildings, Maggie's feels much warmer with pale wood colours throughout. As with all Maggie's Centres, the kitchen is in the middle of the building for both staff and patients along with family members can sit. The RIBA Journal remarked the building as: "Homely and peaceful, it is a building with real heart and soul." The building was the 26th Maggie's centre to open, but it isn't the only centre that is beautiful in design. Other centres have also been designed by notable architects include Norman Foster - the creator of London's iconic Gherkin - and Ab Rogers - known for designing the Wonderlab n London's Science Museum. According to Maggie's, every centre focuses on 'healing architecture' because "great design and architecture can help the people who come to us for support feel better – and help us to give the best possible cancer support". Each centre is unique and designed to be "a home from home [...] that feel[s] nothing like a hospital". The idea to create centre that are unique and homely came from the charity's co-founder Maggie, who understood that environment and design can have a positive impact on someone dealing with cancer. 5 5 The charity's website states that "Maggie talked about the need for 'thoughtful lighting, a view out to trees, birds and sky' and the opportunity 'to relax and talk away from home cares'". And those ideas have influenced each and every Maggie's centre. Gardens are equally as important as the design of the centres. Maggie's works closely with designers to ensure there is a connection between the outside and inside space. Anyone can visit Maggie's Yorkshire and you don't need an appointment. However, it is worth noting that it is still an active cancer centre and therefore, it is important to remain respectful. Other buildings that featured on Time Out's list include popular tourist destinations such as the Taj Mahal in India and The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. One of the UK's most beautiful landmarks also recently announced it will get a £191million upgrade. The Sun's Kara Godfrey has also stayed in one of the world's best hotels with chocolate rooms and helipads. 5
