Back in March 2000, my father died of throat cancer. He had suffered for some time but it was only the year before that the cancer progressed rapidly, leaving him very poorly and unable to even eat solid foods.

I visited my father at his hospital bedside the morning he died, and it was a sight I will never forget, even if I tried to. I pulled back the sheet he lay in only to see an unbelievably thin and skeleton like figure. It was devastating to me and my family.

It was then that I decided that I wanted to do something to try and help, somehow, ease the pain and suffering that cancer victims go through.

I did this through Maggies centres.

I ran the 2003 Edinburgh Marathon for them and raised around £700.

The first Maggie's Centre was opened in 1996 at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. There are now completed Centres in Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness. In Oxford, Maggie's is supporting the Churchill Hospital Cancer Support Service prior to the development of Maggie's Oxford. Further centres are being developed across the UK.

Maggie's Centres were the vision of Maggie Keswick Jencks when she herself was treated for cancer. She recognised the difficulties of accessing information and ongoing support which help people to cope when faced with a diagnosis of cancer.

Photo of Maggie Keswick Jencks smiling Above all, what matters is not to lose the joy of living in the fear of dying - Maggie Keswick Jencks

Maggie's trained staff can help you negotiate and understand such issues. Most importantly they will have time to listen and help you explore what you need to know.

Relaxation and Stress Management

Stress and anxiety make everything feel worse. Our team can teach you techniques which you can then use to allow yourself to feel calmer and more in control at home or in hospital.

Psychological Support

It helps immensely to realise that you are not alone in your fears. Being able to talk them through with a trained and experienced professional helps reduce the feelings of loneliness, loss of control and helplessness which a diagnosis of cancer can bring.

The Right Environment

Although Maggie's Centres are just around the corner from the hospital, the atmosphere will be very different. We have designed places which are domestic in scale, bright and welcoming, and unusual enough to inspire people's imagination, curiosity and optimism.

This year, in October, I ran the Loch Ness Marathon raising as much funds as possible to help Maggies in their quest to continue what they have been doing so well since 1996.

To make life as comfortable as possible for those unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with cancer.

Maggie's Centres are for anybody who has, or who has had cancer. They are also for their families, their friends and their carers.

The aim of Maggie's Centres is to help people with cancer to be as healthy in mind and body as possible and enable them to make their own contribution to their medical treatment and recovery.

They allow people to address all aspects of living with cancer. They can share their experiences with others in similar situations and, with professional help, inform themselves about the medical realities of their disease.

The friendly environment of the centres, close in each case to a major cancer hospital treatment centre, invites people to take time out and gives them a non-institutional place they can call their own.

So, if you know anyone that could benefit from everything that Maggie's World class centres offers, please help if you can.

You can make a donation right now to help support their work. Please click on the secure link below to make an online donation.

Alternatively you can make a donation by cheque. Please make all gifts payable to Maggie's Centres and send to:

Maggie's CentresThe Gatehouse
Western Infirmary
10 Dumbarton Road
Glasgow
G11 6PA

If you are able to Gift aid this payment - thus making it worth an extra third to us at no extra cost to you - please read, complete and return the Gift Aid form.

Thank you for your support.

People here understand. They have a darn good idea what you're going through - Harry Coldman, caring for his wife Lucy

This page was written with kind permission from Maggie's centres and the links highlighted will take you through directly to their site. Any funds donated do not support my personal cause.

Thank you.