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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.'
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cancer patients 'priced out' of holidays, charity warns
Cancer patients are being "priced out" of holidays due to "extremely unfair" travel insurance costs, a charity has cancer support charity said patients and those with a history of the disease were "frequently" being quoted premiums of thousands of pounds, while some were being refused cover chief executive, Dame Laura Lee, said: "We know how stressful a cancer diagnosis can be, and the last thing people should have to think about is inflated insurance costs."The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said the "significant costs" associated with emergency treatment abroad for pre-existing medical conditions were taken into account when offering cover. In a statement, Dame Lee emphasised the "emotional distress" caused by "barriers" to obtaining travel insurance for people with said: "Travelling and taking holidays can be so important for someone's wellbeing and recovery, and it is extremely unfair that people with cancer are being priced out of the opportunity to visit family and friends abroad or simply explore the world."Maggie's has called on the Treasury, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and insurers to jointly develop recommendations to ensure cancer patients are "treated more fairly" by providers. 'Completely unaffordable' Josh Cull, 28, told BBC Breakfast he went through "a year of hell" in 2021 after being treated for a brain tumour which affected his eyesight and ability to walk. "I then decided, you know what, I'm going to live some life now," he while searching for insurance for a trip to South East Asia with his fiancée and brother, Mr Cull said the lowest quote he could find was £3,000, which he described as "completely unaffordable"."[That was] despite being two-and-a-half years clean, no recurring conditions. I was completely healthy," he Cull said he decided to travel without insurance, having had most of his savings "wiped out" by his time off work for treatment."I [didn't] want it to stop me living my life," he said, adding that he instead took other more "affordable" precautions ahead of the trip, such as getting "extra vaccines".A spokesperson for the ABI said in a statement that it "remained committed" to supporting customers who have or have had cancer. "As part of a signposting agreement introduced by the FCA, if an insurer is unable to offer you cover because of a pre-existing medical condition, they will point you to specialist providers who can help you find an appropriate policy."A 2018 report by the FCA warned that cancer patients were struggling to find affordable travel insurance, even long after their treatment had BBC has approached the Treasury for comment.
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Cancer patients are being 'priced out' of going on holiday by travel insurance companies who quote than unaffordable premiums or even refuse them cover
Cancer patients are being 'priced out' of holidays due to 'inflated' travel insurance, a charity has claimed. Support group Maggie's said sufferers and those in recovery are 'frequently' refused cover or quoted unaffordable premiums. The result is that patients are forced to take trips without insurance or cancel plans altogether. The concern is that they miss out on visiting friends and family abroad and avoid business travel. Maggie's has called on Treasury minister Emma Reynolds to help work with travel insurance companies and the Financial Conduct Authority to get a fairer insurance deal. Dame Laura Lee, chief executive of Maggie's, said: 'More and more frequently, we are hearing about the barriers people with cancer face when trying to obtain travel insurance and the emotional distress this can cause. 'The last thing people should have to think about is inflated insurance costs when they should be focused on recovering. 'Travelling and taking holidays can be so important for someone's wellbeing and recovery. 'It is extremely unfair that people with cancer are being priced out of the opportunity to visit family and friends abroad or simply explore the world.' Josh Cull, of Bournemouth, was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour in 2021 when aged 25. After treatment, he decided to visit south Asia but could not find a company to cover him for a price he could afford. Mr Cull, now 28, said: 'My cancer was completely unexpected, especially as I was so young, and initially I was told I only had three months to live. I went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as surgery to remove a tumour, which affected my eyesight and ability to walk. 'It was an incredibly difficult time but I was lucky to come out the other side – and the trip was supposed to be a reward for everything we'd been through. However, I couldn't get an insurance quote for less than £3,000. 'I had been out of treatment and I was healthy and fully recovered. It felt so unfair. I ended up travelling uninsured because I just couldn't afford the cover.' Millie Tharakan, 72, from north London, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and the disease returned in 2020. She has been receiving immunotherapy and has CT scans. Millie Tharakan, 72, from north London, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and the disease returned in 2020. She has been receiving immunotherapy and has CT scans. Despite being declared fit to fly, she had to spend £1,300 on annual cover for travel in Europe (file image) Despite being declared fit to fly, she had to spend £1,300 on annual cover for travel in Europe. Ms Tharakan, a grandmother, said: 'We wanted to go on a family holiday but it has been incredibly stressful. Most companies would not even consider covering me.' A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: 'People with pre-existing medical conditions may be more likely to need emergency medical treatment whilst abroad, which can come at a significant cost. 'As part of a signposting agreement introduced by the FCA, if an insurer is unable to offer you cover because of a pre-existing medical condition, they will point you to specialist providers who can help find an appropriate policy.' The Treasury has been approached for comment.
