Maggie's
Maggie's centres are a network of drop-in centres across the United Kingdom and abroad that aim to help anyone who has been affected by cancer. They are intended as welcoming and caring environments that provide support, information and practical advice to people dealing with a cancer diagnosis. They also offer wellbeing sessions and workshops to complement conventional cancer therapy.
The Maggie's centres in the United Kingdom are located near, but are detached from, existing NHS hospitals.
History
Maggie's was founded by and named after the late Maggie Keswick Jencks, who died of cancer in 1995. Like her husband, architectural writer and critic Charles Jencks, she believed in the ability of buildings to uplift people.In 2016, Maggie's merged with Cancerkin, a charity in the United Kingdom which offers support to breast cancer patients. Cancerkin is based at the Royal Free Hospital in North London and was founded in 1987.
The Scottish registered charity that promotes, builds and runs the centres is formally named the Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Trust, but refers to itself simply as Maggie's.
The buildings that house the centres have been designed by leading architects, including Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Richard Rogers. Christian Voice has been criticised for its role in causing Maggie's centres to decline a four-figure donation from the proceeds of a special performance of Jerry Springer: The Opera. The charity had been due to receive £10 per ticket for an afternoon gala in 2005 but declined the donation after Christian Voice had threatened to picket their centres.
Patrons of the charity include Frank Gehry, Janet Ellis, Norman Foster, Kirsty Wark, and Sarah Brown, wife of former British prime minister Gordon Brown. The charity's chief executive is Dame Laura Lee, who was founder Maggie's cancer nurse. The president of the charity is Queen Camilla.
Locations
Scotland
Edinburgh
The first Maggie's centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996, and is located within the Western General Hospital on Crewe Road. The centre is housed in a converted stable block. The conversion, designed by Richard Murphy, was nominated for the 1997 Stirling Prize. The centre was extended, again by Murphy, in 1999.Glasgow
's first Maggie's centre opened in 2002 and was located at the Western Infirmary on Dumbarton Road, near the Kelvingrove Museum. The centre was housed in a former gatehouse lodge of the University of Glasgow, renovated and altered by Page\Park Architects. Charles Jencks designed the landscaping around the site, and contributed a DNA sculpture for the garden. In 2011, a new facility opened at Gartnavel, designed by OMA and led by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and Ellen van Loon.Dundee
's first building in the United Kingdom was the Maggie's centre at Dundee. The centre opened in September 2003 at Ninewells Hospital. Gehry's design was named "Building of the Year" by the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland, and was also nominated for the 2004 RIAS [Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture].Highlands
The Maggie's centre in Inverness, Highland, is at Raigmore Hospital, and was designed by David Page of Page\Park Architects. Landscape design and sculptures were again the work of Charles Jencks. The building opened in 2005, and won the 2006 RIAS Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture.Fife
The Maggie's centre in Kirkcaldy, Fife, opened in November 2006 at the Victoria Hospital. The building was designed by Zaha Hadid, and is her first built work in the UK. In the building there is emphasis placed on the transition between the natural and the man-made, and on the period between the hospital and home; the transition after having undergone treatment. There was an emphasis on clear and translucent glass, with powerfully sculptural cantilevers. The entrance facade is almost entirely made from glass. On the north side, the roof extension protects the entrance, while to the south, it provides shade. This can be seen as a fusion between form and function. Much thought has gone into the layout of the building, with the kitchen as the centre of the building and an informal atmosphere.Aberdeen
Maggie's Aberdeen was designed by Norwegian architects Snøhetta at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen and opened in 2013.Lanarkshire
Maggie's Lanarkshire opened in 2014 at Monklands Hospital, Airdrie and was designed by Reiach and Hall Architects of Edinburgh.Forth Valley
Maggie's Forth Valley was designed by London-based architects Garbers & James and opened in 2017. The centre borders Larbert Loch, by Forth Valley Royal Hospital.Dumfries
In August 2025 it was announced that the building of a new Maggie's had been green-lit, to be located in the grounds of Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.England
London
Maggie's West London was the first purpose-built Maggie's centre in England. It is located at Charing Cross Hospital, West London and opened in April 2008. The centre was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, and Dan Pearson designed the garden around the centre.In May 2009 the centre won a RIBA award for architectural excellence and was named as London Project of the Year. In October 2009 Richard Rogers and his team at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners were awarded the Stirling Prize for the building, and donated the £20,000 prize money to the cancer care centre.
Maggie's Royal Free opened in 2016 in an interim building at the NHS Foundation Trust">National Health Service">NHS Foundation Trust. A new purpose-built centre, designed by Daniel Libeskind of Studio Libeskind, was officially opened in 2024 by Queen Camilla.
Maggie's Barts opened in 2017 on the site of St Bartholomew's Hospital and was designed by Steven Holl.
Maggie's Royal Marsden, designed by Ab Rogers Design, opened in 2019 at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton.