A generous Lanarkshire business is funding a full day of support services at Maggie’s Lanarkshire for each of the next five years – and began by gifting centre visitors a welcome sweet treat.
Equi’s Ice Cream managing director David Equi has pledged £12,000 in support of the cancer caring facility, to “pay for a day” of its busy programme of support annually until 2026.
The special donation is in honour of his dad, Robert, who had lived with cancer; and David and daughter Alex visited the centre in the grounds of Monklands Hospital on their chosen date and treated visitors, volunteers and staff to ice creams.
David has regularly supported Maggie’s in recent years, attending fundraisers and donating a year’s supply of Equi’s treats as auction prizes over the years.
The Hamilton businessman said: “It’s a charity I hold close to my heart after losing my own father to cancer; I know the great work that Maggie’s can do to help not only people living with cancer but also their family and friends.
“Being at the centre has really given me a greater sense of how critical this support is to people at such a very difficult time in their life.”
Maggie’s provides practical, emotional and social support for people with cancer, ranging from financial advice to exercise classes and walking groups, all based around its centrepiece kitchen table.
The Airdrie centre, which opened in 2014, provides a quiet and calm space where people with cancer and their loved ones can relax and reflect away from home or hospital – and costs £2400 per day to operate.
Centre head Lorrie Cameron said: “We’re really grateful to David Equi for his generosity in paying for a day for five years. People with cancer need Maggie’s more than ever and by pledging to pay for a day, David is helping people when they need us most.”
Thanking the Equis for their support, Maggie’s staff added: “Centre visitors that day were treated to a delicious ice-cream and left delighted, and with more than one!”
Among those benefiting from the support of funding a day’s work at the centre is Monica Kirson, who has been supported through breast cancer at Maggie’s and thanked its help “for saving my life”.
She said: “Maggie’s gave me the emotional support I needed when I was at the lowest I’ve ever felt; through time, I found my smile again and visiting Maggie’s helped me to connect and make strong friendships.”
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