Maggies centre

Unfortunately, I now have full up membership, a camera but no access to a computer to upload my photos! Nevermind, I'll just have to blip from my camera phone for now.

I went to Maggies Centre today to learn about the work they do there. Very impressed- what a fabulous place! Maggie Keswick Jencks was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 1993 and believed in people living more positively with cancer and wanted an environment to become an informed participant in treatment, have psychological support and meet others in a similar position in a more relaxed atmosphere. She died in 1995 and in 1996 the first Maggies centre was opened in Edinburgh.

The Newcastle centre is facing the cancer centre and patients can drop in for a cup of tea, read a book, get information about cancer and it's treatment, get benefits advice. There is also a timetable of activities such as support groups, nutrition workshops, exercise, yoga, relaxation and lots more. I found it such a lovely welcoming environment and a haven of calm so close to the hospital. They are having a sponsored 15 mile walk in London in September to raise money for the centres and I hope that I can take part in this. A lot of my colleagues do marathons and triathlons but I am not very sporty so a 15 mile walk is actually quite a long way for me and you have to start somewhere!

This evening I talked with my grandparents and started taking notes on their earlier life so that I can start working on making a memory book. I am going to make a visit to South Tyneside library local history section to try and get a copy of some old photos of the area.