HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN WILL OPEN MAGGIE’S NEW CANCER SUPPORT CENTRE AT ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL
Wednesday 31st January 2024
Her Majesty The Queen, President of Maggie’s, will officially open Maggie’s Royal Free, a new cancer support centre at the Royal Free Hospital. The visit will take place ahead of World Cancer Day on Sunday 4th February.
On arrival at Maggie’s Royal Free, Her Majesty will meet Dame Laura Lee, Maggie’s Chief Executive; Mr Stuart Gulliver, Chairman of Maggie’s; Daniel Libeskind, Architect of the new centre and representatives of The Royal Free London.
For more than 28 years, Maggie’s has been providing expert care and support, for free, in centres across the UK and online to everyone with cancer as well as their friends and families.
Inside the new centre, Her Majesty will have an opportunity to meet the architectural team who have played a key role in designing the centre to be a safe and welcoming environment. Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, Maggie’s provide a comforting space away from the hospital, allowing people to meet others who understand what they’re going through, or just take a moment to gather their thoughts.
Her Majesty will also have an opportunity to meet centre staff, volunteers and visitors to the centre to hear how Maggie’s has supported them and their families.
When the staff have gathered, Dame Laura Lee and Mr Daniel Libeskind will say a few words about the new centre, before Her Majesty is invited to join a group photo with the centre staff, volunteers, visitors and guests.
Maggie’s
Maggie’s Royal Free is the 24th centre in the UK providing support for people with cancer, from treatment side effects to financial concerns. The professional team at each centre also runs groups and activities, all designed to make coping with cancer easier.
The centre offers free support to anyone living with cancer, their family and friends and is based in the grounds of the Royal Free Hospital, which is part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) – one of the largest providers of cancer treatment in the UK. The work of Maggie’s complements the treatments received by people of all ages and with any type of cancer at the Royal Free Hospital and from London and the surrounding areas. The RFL receives nearly 50,000 cancer referrals annually.
Her Majesty The Queen became President of Maggie’s in 2008. As Duchess of Cornwall, Her Majesty visited 16 Maggie’s centres throughout the UK. This will be Her Majesty’s 17th visit to a Maggie’s centre; Her Majesty has now visited all four Maggie’s Centres in London.
In June 2023, the Queen visited the UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, which is based on the Royal Free Hospital site.
