It has been built with £3million of public donations, following a phenomenally successful community-led campaign – so it was only fitting that Aberdeen’s new Maggie’s cancer centre should have not one, but two, royal guests to perform the official opening.
The Duchess of Rothesay and Queen Sonja of Norway toured the building at Foresterhill yesterday and met staff and some of the key supporters who had made it all possible.
The pair chatted to Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie and his family, who joined forces with Maggie’s to front a three-year appeal in memory of his mother, who died from cancer 23 years ago.
They were introduced to members of the local committee, representatives of companies which donated services and materials – shaving hundreds of thousands of pounds off the cost of the building – and some of the individuals who contributed to the fastest fundraising campaign in Maggie’s 17-year history.
The royal guests then broke a kransekake – a Norwegian celebration cake – to mark the friendship between the two nations.
The duchess is president of Maggie’s and she and Queen Sonja viewed plans for the Aberdeen centre – designed by Norwegian architect Snohetta – on a visit to Oslo last year.
She told guests it was wonderful to see the blueprint become a reality.
“As a very proud patron of Maggie’s, I wish to thank everyone here today for everything they have done to make this place so special,” she said.
“Maggie’s is a very, very special organisation. You have these places and probably people’s concept is that they are going to be sad, but they are the most uplifting places I have ever been in. You come out feeling better, they help so many people and you are surrounded by smiling faces. That is what you want if you are suffering from this terrible disease.”
Maggie’s chief executive, Laura Lee, said the duchess was Maggie’s biggest advocate and “an inspiration” who had shown unswerving commitment to the charity.
The former nurse, who cared for Maggie’s founder Maggie Keswick Jencks when she was being treated for cancer in Edinburgh, also praised the generosity of everyone who had played a part in the creation of the charity’s 17th centre.
“Maggie’s unique personal approach has helped to change cancer care forever,” she said.
Earlier, the royal guests enjoyed afternoon tea with two families who have experienced first-hand the kind of comfort Maggie’s can offer.
Sitting either side of the duchess were eight-year-old Jemma Findlay and Leigh Bonthrone, 15, who were chosen to present bouquets to the visitors.
Jemma’s mum, Tracy, died from cancer in February, aged just 46, and she and her dad Adam, 40, were given a lot of support from the team at Maggie’s Edinburgh.
The duchess asked Jemma about her favourite subjects at school, encouraged her to keep up her piano lessons, and pulled her close for a special hug for the cameras.
Mr Findlay, managing director of New Wave Media, said Maggie’s had been an invaluable source of advice on how to speak to Jemma about what was happening to her mum, and he was delighted to get behind the Aberdeen campaign.
“In a small way, today is about taking something positive from everything that has happened this year and hopefully when Jemma is a bit older she will look back on this and have something happy to remember,” he said.
Leigh was little older than Jemma when her dad, John, 46, was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer in 2008. He was told his only chance of survival was a 56-hour-operation – and even then there was a 50-50 chance he wouldn’t survive. Through it all, the family depended on the team at Maggie’s Fife and when oil worker Mr Bonthrone started work in Aberdeen they poured all their energies into supporting the campaign for the new centre.
Mr Bonthrone took part in the Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike in 2012 and was chosen to represent Maggie’s Aberdeen in the Olympic torch relay, while Leigh and a friend raised £600 in a sponsored scooter ride over the Forth Road Bridge.
Leigh said the duchess was keen to learn how much Maggie’s had helped her and her parents.
“It’s so nice to know that families like ours are going to have somewhere in Aberdeen where they can go to get that kind of help,” she added.
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