Scotland

After researching breast cancer statistics in Scotland, it revealed that 30% of all cancers are breast related and that there is a great need for equipment and facilities if they are able to care for all patients by the year 2020. Consequently the following projects have been identified as being an essential contribution. Most importantly The MoonWalk Edinburgh has set out to support all of Scotland and not just Edinburgh or major cities.

Maggies Centre, Glasgow

Maggie’s Centres in Scotland are renowned for the psychological support they give to cancer patients. The centres based in hospital grounds offer a home from home welcoming retreat where cancer patients can meet and share experiences ‘around the kitchen table.’ Support is available on many different levels, from psychotherapy and even sourcing information on sickness  benefits available. Maggie’s currently have a very oversubscribed centre in Glasgow. Based on the opportunity to receive a grant from Walk the Walk, it was decided that a second much needed second centre would be built at the Gart Naval Hospital. Rem Koolhaas has been chosen as the architect and the project is already in the planning stages. It often takes Maggie’s between 4 - 5 years to raise the funds to build any of their centre. With the help of Walk the Walk and all its supporters, we hope to open the centre in Glasgow by 2010

Breast Cancer Institute

When Udi Chetty the leading breast care surgeon at the Breast Cancer Institute was asked by Walk the Walk to collate his wish list of what he considered to be projects that needed essential funding. A make over for the breast cancer ward was high on the agenda. For the past 5 years he had been trying to get West Lothian NHS to agree to some major and much needed work on the ward but without success.

The importance of the healing environment is well known, so it was felt that this was something that Walk the Walk could support straight away and brighten what was an extremely over crowded and depressing place to be. However with an initial grant of £500,000 a miracle happened, with encouragement from Udi West Lothian NHS agreed to contribute to the Walk the Walk grant (the largest that the hospital had ever received) and to agree with the total re-build of the ward that Udi so much wanted.

Plans have already begun to expand the ward, create a new day bed area, build rooms with en suite bathrooms and south facing balconies, have an adjoining theatre and create more space for the patients. The first stages have already begun and it is hoped that the new ward will be open during 2009.