IT was almost 50 years ago when a young oncology professor recognised there was a gap for much needed wellbeing support for not only those with cancer, but their loved ones too.
He had recently been appointed as professor of oncology in 1974 and it was a time when there were limited resources in the NHS to look at facilitating a support group.
However, for Sir Kenneth Calman that didn’t stop him and he started a support group in his living room. It led to him founding and establishing Cancer Support Scotland and more than 40 years later the charity is still helping those in need.
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In the mid 1970s, the Calman family invited people into their home so they could learn and listen to what really was important to people during their illness. As the group grew, they moved on to meeting at Gartnavel General Hospital, the support group met in a cupboard which has just enough room for the group to sit and have enough privacy to discuss.
Sir Kenneth Calman, right, founder of Cancer Support Scotland over 40 years ago with new CEO Michael MacLennan. Photo by Gordon Terris.
Sir Kenneth said: “It began in a strange way. I was appointed professor of oncology in 1974. When I started, in relation to patients and patient treatment, what I noticed quite quickly was the patients and their families knew more about cancer than I did, I wanted to learn from them.
“On the basis of that we brought some of them to our house on occasions just to hear from them and I realised this was important. They had things to contribute.”
They then began to meet at Gartnavel Hospital to give patients and families a chance to meet scientists and for the scientists to meet them along with the clinicians and nurses which led to several smaller groups were implemented across the West of Scotland who met in each other’s homes and local hospitals and “Tak Tent” an old Scots phrase meaning “Take Care”, was born. These groups offered a much-needed person centred approach.
Sir Kenneth Calman, left, founder of Cancer Support Scotland over 40 years ago with new CEO Michael MacLennan. Photo by Gordon Terris.
Sir Kenneth added: "What this allowed me to do, was to understand Cancer, in a way I hadn’t understood it before. Not in the kind of treatment, or the research, but about the people, patients, families and what they could cope with. It was wonderful to see how much people could contribute. People used to meet regularly in each other’s homes and share their experiences, learn from each other and things progressed from there.”
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Reflecting on the history during a recent visit to the charity, which is now known as Cancer Support Scotland, The Herald’s chosen charity for the Reader Choice Awards 2022, Sir Kenneth said: “It feels amazing to be here, particularly when the charity has been going now for 40 or so years and seeing it still thriving and in this beautiful building. The staff here work so closely as a team. And we are changing things, using new techniques that we didn’t have before. It’s nice to see how things are progressing and developing.”
Cancer Support Scotland has developed its remit by a considerable amount over the years, now also with the ability to provide virtual support to people all over the country in the comfort of their own homes.
It has been a wellbeing champion for those affected by cancer for over 40 years – not only for those diagnosed, but their loved ones and carers too. The charity delivers high-quality counselling, complementary therapy, and stress management services to promote mental and physical wellbeing and to enable those affected by cancer to continue to live the most active life possible in their community.
Catherine Salmond, editor of The Herald, left and Deborah Anderson, Assistant News Editor, The Herald hand a cheque for £1391.02 to Michael MacLennan, the CEO of Cancer Support Scotland. The money is from The Herald Readers Choice Cash for Charity
Last year it was one of eight finalists selected for the initiative through our parent company's charitable arm The Gannett Foundation and received a share of £16,000. Throughout last November tokens printed in The Herald were collected and thanks to supporters and Herald readers, the charity will receive almost £1400.
In 2012, The Calman Cancer Support Centre, formerly the Gartnavel Royal Chapel, was opened and today it provides holistic wellbeing care to those affected by cancer through counselling, complementary therapy, befriending services and coping with change workshops.
While times may have changed, the aim of the charity is still to help people which its founder agreed with.
The charity still prides itself in offering a drop-in centre for anyone affected by cancer, with free tea, coffee, cakes and WI-FI. This provides a group setting for those affected by cancer to come together, defeat loneliness and remain resilient, while encouraging individuals to champion their experiences to help others.
Earlier this year the charity appointed Michael MacLennan as interim CEO. Joining CSC from Covid Aid, the charity he founded, he said: “It feels like the need to be here for anyone in Scotland affected by cancer could not be greater than at this time."
While times have changed the overarching aim of the organisation remains the same.
Sir Kenneth added: “It’s about helping others and I am sure in the next 40 years we will see that continue to develop, supporting people in a range of ways, that’s right for them,” he added. “I think we will need to use technology more in how we reach people without them having to come into this building and to continue to use the experience that patients and their families have in order to help others.
“It is about helping others and to understand the disease, but also to understand how they can be better cared for.”
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