Woman's moving tribute to Glasgow charity after death of brother, 39

Maggie’s, which opened in The Gatehouse at the Western Infirmary after a year-long campaign by this newspaper banked double its original target, is now located at Gartnavel General Hospital in the West End.

As it marks the milestone birthday, staff and volunteers are keen to emphasise the centre provides care for everyone affected by cancer, including relatives and friends of those diagnosed.

The Glasgow Maggie's Centre at Gartnavel (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Chief executive Dame Laura Lee said: “Glasgow has taken Maggie’s to its heart from the day it first opened, with thanks to the campaign by the Glasgow Times in 2002, which highlighted the importance of our psychological and practical support and championed bringing Maggie’s to the city.

 “It has been an incredibly memorable 20 years and I’m very proud to say we have continued to support people through the move and the pandemic.”

 The centre supports between 65 and 75 visitors every day and Laura predicts numbers will continue to rise.

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She explains: “By the end of this year, we expect to see 19,000 visits. That’s a massive increase since we first opened 20 years ago. By 2024, we estimate we could be seeing up to 30,000 visits a year.”

A cancer diagnosis sends “a ripple through the whole family”, adds Laura.

“With so much focus on the person with the diagnosis the needs of close family and friends can be forgotten,” she says. “And yet, they can need just as much support as the person diagnosed.

“We also know that when family and friends find the support they need, there is a hugely positive impact on the person with cancer.

“Yet many people looking after a friend or family member with cancer don’t realise that we can support them too.”

Laura adds: “I hear many people say things like ‘I’m not a carer – he is my husband’ or ‘I don’t think of myself as a carer, we are just in this together’ – many people don’t need or want a label, but that doesn’t mean we can’t support them.

“We want everyone with cancer in the family to understand that our centres are waiting to welcome them. It might just be somewhere to take a moment for themselves, or to speak to our expert staff about the variety tailored support we can offer, including better understanding treatment options, money worries and psychological support.”

Naomi Good, from Cardonald, admits she “didn’t know where to turn” after the death of her brother, Barry.

“I was really struggling with grief,” she explains. “A friend told me about Maggie’s but I thought it was just for people who had cancer, I didn’t realise it also supported relatives and friends.

“I started coming to the grief support group, which has been really helpful, and I’ve also had one to one counselling.”

Naomi adds: “It’s hard to put into words just how much Maggie’s has helped me. I am quite an anxious person, but I feel calm here.”

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Barry was only 39 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020.

“He was a joiner, and he’d been having pains in his back, but the doctors put it down to his work,” says Naomi. “Eventually, he’d lost three stone, and was in agony, so he went to A&E and that’s when he found out what was happening.”

By then, says Naomi, sadly, it was too late to operate.

“I really miss him, we were very close,” she says, adding with a laugh: “He called me Midget."

She smiles: "And he always believed in me.”

Naomi with her brother Barry. (Image: Naomi Good)

The year after Barry died, Naomi raised £1900 for a bowel cancer charity by walking 50 5ks in 50 days – last year she decided to up the stakes and do 100 5k runs in 100 days, this time raising £1090 for Maggie’s.

“They’ve been so great to me, I just wanted to give something back to them,” she says. “I want to do more for them, hopefully in the future.”

To anyone unsure about taking the first step through the doors of Maggie’s, Naomi has this advice.

“You aren’t judged here, you’re safe and your story means something to others, and their stories mean something to you,” she says. “It’s a place to talk about the real stuff with people who won’t sweep it under the carpet.”

She pauses.

“I love the trees that surround the centre, they make me feel calm,” she says, smiling.

“I always think they are a symbol of this place – the trees might all stand individually but they are surrounded by other trees. Even when you think you are, you’re not on your own. Maggie’s is here. You’re not alone.”

Read more in tomorrow’s Glasgow Times about 20 years of Maggie’s in Glasgow.