Her Majesty The Queen visits Maggie's, Fife

A day I will never forget

Gregor Forbes, 37, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma in January 2022, just seven days before his son was born.

He underwent six months of chemotherapy and is currently well.

He joined a discussion with The Queen, talking about the young person’s group at Maggie’s. Now he is on the other side of treatment, he hopes his experiences will help other younger people in the group.

Gregor said: “It was a real honour to meet Her Majesty today. 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.”

Also joining the discussions were Maggie’s Honorary Patrons Sarah Brown, Kirsty Wark and Chris Hartness, as well as Centre Head of Maggie's Fife, Debbie McCrae, and Chief Executive of Maggie's, Dame Laura Lee DBE.

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.”

Campaigner and Philanthropist Sarah Brown has supported Maggie’s for more than 20 years. As Patron, she was instrumental in helping to raise the funds to build Maggie's Oxford, Maggie's Cheltenham, Maggie's Swansea, Maggie's Nottingham and Maggie's Newcastle through the charity’s “Joy of Living” campaign.

She said: “I am so proud to have been part of Maggie’s as it has grown into a UK-wide charity supporting thousands of people following a cancer diagnosis, as well as their loved ones, every year.”

Television journalist, presenter and author Kirsty Wark, who has been a Maggie’s Patron for more than 20 years, said: “I am delighted to be here to welcome Her Majesty to Fife. Like Her Majesty, Maggie’s has been close to my heart for a long time. It is always inspiring to hear people living with cancer talk about the profound impact Maggie’s has on their lives when facing a diagnosis.”

Celebrating the ‘incredible work’ Maggie's does

Chris Hartness became a Maggie’s Patron last year. She said: “It’s a real privilege to be here today to celebrate the incredible work of Maggie’s with Her Majesty The Queen.

“It’s astonishing that the organisation has grown from one small stable block in Edinburgh to having what will be 27 centres by the end of this year across the UK. Maggie’s support is vital for people living with cancer.”

Carol Potter, Chief Executive, NHS Fife said: “It is a great honour to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to the Maggie’s centre in Kirkcaldy. Maggie’s plays a truly unique role in supporting people living with cancer, offering comfort, compassion and practical help in a calm and welcoming environment.

“The support the centre provides is not only invaluable to patients and their families, but also to our staff at Victoria Hospital and across NHS Fife, who work closely with the Maggie’s team every day. We are incredibly proud of this partnership and the difference it continues to make to people’s lives across Fife.”

Maggie’s Fife was designed by Dame Zaha Hadid. It was her first permanent structure in the UK. The centre opened in 2006 and supports around 9000 visits* a year from people with cancer, as well as family and friends.

_{*Visits refers to support facilitated by our programme staff and includes face to face; on the phone and online.}

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.

In January 2024, Her Majesty opened the Maggie’s at the Royal Free Hospital in London, and in February this year she met Dame Laura Lee DBE during engagements in Middlesbrough to hear about plans for bringing Maggie’s expert cancer support to the area.

How we can help

Whatever kind of cancer, whatever stage you're at, Maggie's is here with you.

Our expert staff are here to listen to your concerns and find the help you need wherever you are – over the phone and online.

• Just come in – at your nearest Maggie's
• Call us on 0300 123 180 or arrange a callback
• Email us at enquiries@maggies.org 
• Our phone lines and centres are open  Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm