Downham Market Rotary Club visits Cambridge-based Maggie’s cancer centre following support to see work in action

Members of a community organisation in Downham have paid a visit to a cancer centre it has recently supported to see its work in action.

In his presidential year, Rotarian Martin Chilvers chose Maggie’s Cancer Centre, a Cambridge-based cancer support group, as his chosen charity.

It was for personal reasons that he selected this cause, having lost his brother-in-law Peter Rushbrook to pancreatic cancer at the age of 52 in 2019.

Martin had known Peter for more than 40 years, having taught him history at a Kent school.

“Sadly, as so often with this particular form of cancer, there was a mere 10 weeks between diagnosis and Peter’s passing,” Martin said.

Graham Cone, from Maggie’s, spoke to the Rotary Club in the autumn of 2022 and when its donation was received, Hayley Webb, Maggie’s centre fundraising manager, invited a group to Cambridge to see its work in action.

Last month, five Rotarians made the journey and heard Hayley explain her work, as well as Maggie’s current facilities and its future plans for a purpose-built house.

“Hayley outlined the various services they provide from psychologists and counsellors to a benefits advisor and their warmth and positivity were clearly evident,” Martin said.

“She explained the challenges of fundraising in the current economic climate and how she sought to make the group and its work better known in their community - which struck a chord with her visitors.”