Maggie’s Aberdeen receives £10,000 donation from China

Cancer support charity Maggie’s Aberdeen has received a £10,000 donation from a China-based company whose chairman visited the centre two years ago.

George Zhang is a joint venture partner of global engineering and consulting company Wood, which also donated 10,000 items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline health staff in Aberdeen last year.

Richard Stewart, Maggie’s Aberdeen head of fundraising, said: “The fantastic donation has come following a visit to the centre by George Zhang, chairman of Wood in China, with Wood colleagues in 2019.

“It’s wonderful to think that someone from the other side of the world was so moved by the work we do that they continue to support us from afar today. It is an example of the amazing impression visiting Maggie’s can leave on people.

“Although we have mostly been seeing people virtually during lockdown, we look forward to welcoming many more visitors and volunteers back to the centre once the remaining restrictions are lifted so they can see that for themselves.”

Maggie’s say the gift will help make up for lost income from cancelled fundraising events and activities and will be used to fund the daily running costs of the centre and their expert cancer care services.

Maggie’s is built in the grounds of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Throughout the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, Maggie’s Aberdeen has continued to provide support for friends and family, as well as bereavement support groups, in order to help the wider network of people that cancer impacts.

Wood’s chief operating officer, Dave Stewart, added: “When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK last year, our joint venture partner wanted to help in any way they could, hence the donation of the 10,000 items of PPE.

“That donation was generous enough, but for him to go even further and give Maggie’s Aberdeen such wonderful financial support a year later is testament to the support everyone at the centre provides to people across the north-east – and it clearly leaves a positive impression on people, regardless of where they are from or whether they have used the much-needed services on offer.”

Maggie’s Aberdeen relies on voluntary donations to develop its unique, high-quality programme of support.

The charity’s aim is to make the biggest difference possible to people living with cancer and their family and friends.

As well as accepting gifts, the charity promotes fundraising activities including its annual golf day and culture crawl, which this year are both being held in September.