Tuesday 04 February 2025
Over the past few weeks, our centre visitors and staff have been actively engaging in the government’s national conversation about the future of the NHS and cancer care in England.
In January and February, we've held events in our centres in Southampton, London, Oxford, the Wirral, Leeds, and Newcastle to hear from lots of different people living with cancer or supporting someone with cancer about their views and ideas about the future of the NHS.
Their views and feedback will be used as part our submission to the government to help create a new 10-Year Health Plan for England
Centre Head Kate Fulton and centre visitors from Maggie's, Royal Marsden
We were joined by The Chief Executive of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, who attended our event in our West London centre and heard the views of centre visitors Mark, Steve, Tracy, Isobel, Barry and Katherine.
Our visitors shared with Amanda Pritchard their ideas to improve the patient experience, including:
Today on World Cancer Day it is the turn of centre visitors in Newcastle to let us hear their thoughts.
We will share all this work as part of their work with the government ahead of their plan being published.
We hope that by doing so future cancer care will be more focused on improving patient’s experience and more people with cancer will be able to access support from Maggie’s.
Meeting people at Maggie’s has kept me buoyant; finding people who support each other however they can, has been vital.
In 2018, Mark began experiencing intense pain in his pelvis, which led him to undergo tests.
After MRI and CT scans, he was quickly fast-tracked into surgery for a colostomy, resulting in a stoma.
Two weeks after surgery, Mark was diagnosed with stage 4 carcinoma of the sigmoid colon.
His medical team recommended Maggie’s, and Mark started visiting after his first chemotherapy cycle, finding much-needed support along the way.
"I met cancer support specialist Louise who is an absolute angel and shared I wanted to connect with community of people who have been through a similar thing to me, and that’s exactly what I found.
"Every time I pop in, I wonder who I’m going to meet next. You meet people who, moments before, you don’t know from a can of paint.
"But the next moment, before you know, just by walking through the door, you’ve made a friend.
"You can plug in at Maggie’s if you ever need recharging, if you need a shoulder."
We're here for every kind of cancer, and every kind of story.
We offer free expert psychological and practical support tailored to you, whatever your age and situation.
There are support groups on offer, as well as workshops, courses and one-to-one support with a cancer support specialist, benefits advisor or psychologist.
We can support you from our centres wherever you are in the UK.
You don't need a referral or an appointment.
To find your nearest Maggie's centre, enter your postcode or town below.
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