National cancer charity Maggie’s is marking its 30th anniversary with a campaign featuring familiar faces from television, music and broadcasting, while highlighting the growing need for free cancer support services for people living with cancer and their families.
Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, broadcaster Kirsty Wark and author Gyles Brandreth are among those appearing in a short film celebrating the charity’s work over the past three decades.
They are joined by author Janet Ellis, an Honorary Patron of Maggie’s, and psychologist and broadcaster Sian Williams, who previously worked in a Maggie’s centre and is now a charity ambassador.
The campaign also promotes a limited-edition JOY T-shirt, created in partnership with designer Charlotte Day of Dandy Star, with all profits supporting the charity’s work.
For Oxfordshire residents, the anniversary is particularly significant as Maggie’s Oxford, on the grounds of the Churchill Hospital, provides free practical, emotional and psychological support to people with cancer, as well as their family members and friends. No referral or appointment is needed, allowing anyone affected by cancer to drop in for expert advice and support.
The charity was founded following the vision of Maggie Keswick Jencks, whose belief that people should “not lose the joy of living in the fear of dying” continues to shape the support offered in all 27 Maggie’s centres across the UK.
According to Maggie’s, around four million people have received support since the first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996.
With cancer diagnoses expected to rise significantly over the coming decades, the charity says demand for its services continues to increase and has set a long-term ambition of opening 60 centres, ensuring every major NHS cancer hospital has a Maggie’s centre.
Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate the charity’s impact while looking ahead to reaching millions more people affected by cancer in the years to come.
The anniversary campaign is accompanied by a social media film featuring the celebrity supporters and a fundraising initiative centred on the JOY T-shirt, made from organic cotton and produced in small batches in the UK.
Residents wishing to support the campaign or find out more about the charity’s services can visit Maggie’s or purchase the anniversary T-shirt through Dandy Star.
