Thank you to everyone involved in our year-long fundraising campaign for Maggie’s Centres!

One of our senior colleagues, who received a life-changing cancer diagnosis while pregnant with her son, has thanked her ‘incredibly generous’ colleagues, clients and contacts after our year-long fundraising campaign.

Paula McAllister, Senior Manager in our Dundee office and mum to one-year-old Rhys, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in August 2017, when she was seven and a half months pregnant. Since then, Paula has endured 16 rounds of chemotherapy and a major operation and is now on a break from treatment with regular monitoring, while also working part-time.

To support Paula and a charity close to her heart, we decided to nominate Maggie’s Centres as our charity of the year for 2018, embarking on an unprecedented programme of events and activities and raising a staggering £34,145.19.

Throughout last year, staff from all our offices in Cupar, Dundee, Forfar and Glenrothes held bake sales, race nights, pub quizzes and a number of fitness challenges including a sponsored skydive. The year was topped off in style with our Charity Ball at Dundee’s Apex City Quay Hotel and Spa when staff and guests raised a total of £16,000 alone.

Paula said, “Maggie’s has made a huge difference to myself and my family over these last 16 months. As well as counselling and workshops, the best thing for me is spending time somewhere that isn’t the hospital. There can be a lot of hanging around during hospital stays so it’s nice to escape when you can and Maggie’s let you use the centre however you like, and make it your own. They’re more than happy to let Rhys run around and there are lots of toys for him to play with. With a cup of tea and biscuit always available, I prefer to meet friends there instead of the hospital wherever possible – it’s a great environment for us all, not just myself as the patient.

“I’m very grateful to everyone at EQ, and many of our clients, for the way they have supported me, and continue to do so. It’s absolutely incredible what we’ve achieved over the past year. It’s been hard work at times, but also a lot of fun and most importantly has raised a lot of money for a fantastic cause.”

Annie Long, Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s Dundee commented, “We are exceptionally grateful and humbled by EQ’s contribution to Maggie’s Centres which will make a huge difference to those who find themselves walking through our doors this year. Whether people with cancer themselves or their friends and families, our centres make a huge difference to those affected by cancer but we rely greatly on our supporters to keep our work going. Paula has provided wonderful inspiration for her colleagues to do their bit and we wish Paula and her family the very best for this new year.”

A huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in our year-long fundraising campaign for Maggie’s Centres, we couldn’t have done it without your support.