Celebrities reveal reason for 'Maggie's' cancer centre backing.
The daughter of Sir Paul McCartney said families have to learn a whole new language when they are touched by cancer.
World-renowned photographer Mary McCartney opened her heart about being affected by her mum Linda’s experience with the disease during a visit to a new cancer support centre in Wirral called Maggie’s.
She joined Crosby-born George Davies – the man behind Per Una and George at Asda – who is also giving support to the centre which is housed in a purpose-built unit within the grounds of the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, in Bebington.
Linda, Sir Paul’s first wife, died in 1998 after a three-year battle with breast cancer. A unit is named after her at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
Mary said she got involved with Maggie’s after being approached by the national charity to take some promotional shots.
She was so impressed she “fell in love with them”. But Mary added that she is “passionate” about cancer care.
She said: “Obviously, I’ve been touched by cancer through my mother having breast cancer, so I understand how when somebody is diagnosed, your family member, your loved one, it affects everybody and it’s a lot to learn. It’s like learning a whole new language, there are so many different decisions to make. It’s quite stressful.
“And somewhere like Maggie’s and the Linda’s (Linda McCartney unit at the Royal) which is amazing for diagnosing and delivering the treatment. I see them go well hand in hand. Maggie’s delivers the more psychological side as well. You can talk to people and get advice and get financial advice. It just sort of brings the whole cancer treatment together as a whole, because there’s a lot of medical treatments but also you need psychological support as well.”
George, who has donated to the Merseyside centre, also shared his own personal journey with the disease. He was diagnosed and treated for a brain tumour in 2002 but revealed his sister died of cancer and had been treated at Clatterbridge.
He said: “The one abiding thing I remember at the time – I have seven kids – going through my mind was ‘Will I never see them again?’ But I’m lucky, I’ll never complain.
“I think if you are lucky enough to do OK in your life, you should actually give back, but give back part of yourself, too.”
The centre opens to the public from June 23.
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