2 Foreword
3 Our Role
4 Outreach
13 What We’ve Made Possible
16 Volunteering
20 Grant Giving
22 Funded Posts
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As I reflect on 2025, what stands out most are the moments of care, compassion and hope that happen every day because of the Beatson Cancer Charity community. We have seen people find calm and comfort through our wellbeing support, and we have continued to work alongside our NHS colleagues to be there for patients and families at every stage of their experience, including the most difficult times. These moments remind us why we do what we do. They reflect the difference that kindness, expertise and commitment can make, whether it is a welcoming smile at reception, a gentle therapy appointment that helps ease anxiety, or practical support offered with dignity and compassion when it is needed most. None of this would be possible without the dedication of our staff and volunteers, the generosity of our supporters, and the strong partnership we have with our NHS colleagues at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and across the hospitals we support. Looking ahead, we remain committed to growing our reach, strengthening our specialist services, and developing new ways to support people affected by cancer, so that more patients and families can access the care, comfort and wellbeing support they need.
Wellbeing
Gillian Hailstones CEO 2
Beatson Cancer Charity
our role
At Beatson Cancer Charity we believe that no-one should face cancer on their own. This has always been our aim, and we will work hard to continue to support even more people and families in the years to come. We fulfil this through the delivery of services and funding initiatives that support people from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. We work in partnership with The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and other NHS healthcare settings to deliver additional and complementary support that enhances patient care. We align ourselves with the Scottish Governments strategy for cancer care and aim to add value to the range of services offered at The Beatson and the communities we support.
Our Partnership with The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre: The Beatson is the largest cancer centre in Scotland and is the lead centre for non-surgical care for the west of Scotland. Opened in 2008, The Beatson delivers an unprecedented level of care to thousands of patients with links to 16 other hospitals in Glasgow and other health board areas.
Located in the heart of Glasgow’s west end on the Gartnavel Campus, The Beatson provides a worldclass service to cancer patients. The centre is staffed by some of the most skilled and dedicated healthcare professionals in the country.
“It takes a very special group of people to give a feeling of comfort and safety to someone facing cancer, but Beatson Cancer Charity staff do it with ease. I couldn’t be more grateful for the treatment and support myself and my family received.”
Impact Report 2025
Erin Lavery September 2025
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Jane Hogarth is 43 and lives in a small village in rural Stirlingshire with two sons. Life was busy and full, balancing family life with her role as a Senior Marketing Associate when everything changed in November 2023. After experiencing a hoarse voice for around nine months and initially being told by her GP that she had laryngitis, Jane was referred to ENT after developing shortness of breath and stridor. She was subsequently diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Things moved quickly, and within days she was admitted to hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. Even in those early moments, Jane’s focus was clear. “All I wanted was for things to be ok for my boys,” she says. “They are the light of my life.” In December 2025, Jane underwent a major operation, which involved a double neck dissection, a total laryngectomy, partial pharyngotomy, partial thyroidectomy and the removal of all her lymph nodes. Just over a week later, she was back home, determined to be with her family and to begin adjusting to life after surgery. “I kept thinking, I have to be ok for them.” Jane threw herself into family life, making sure Christmas was a special time for her sons. But recovery came with its challenges, including a return to hospital shortly after the holidays. As the weeks passed, Jane began to look ahead thinking about how to rebuild her routine and return to a sense of normality. That’s when support from Beatson Cancer Charity became an important part of Jane’s recovery. Through our Specialist Health at Work Service (SHAWS), Jane met Nikki, who supported her as she considered returning to work. With changes to her voice and appearance following surgery, it was something Jane felt understandably uncertain about.
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Beatson Cancer Charity
Together, they worked through what that might look like. Nikki offered practical advice, helped Jane access support such as Access to Work, and found simple tools to make communication easier on more difficult days. “Knowing there was someone there who understood made such a difference,” Jane says. “I didn’t feel like I had to figure it all out on my own.” Jane also began visiting the Calman Centre, another service we provide. After months of clinical environments, the space offered something different - a calm, welcoming place where she could relax and take time for herself. “It’s such a peaceful environment,” she says. “The therapists are so kind and really take the time to understand what you need.” Through therapies like reflexology and massage, Jane was able to gently rebuild her confidence and feel more at ease.
“I would have very much struggled to have a massage and have anyone touch me near my my scars if it hadn’t had the support from Beatson Cancer Charity.”
outreach
“When we met, I was really focused on getting back to work. It felt like a big step towards feeling like myself again.”
For Jane, these services have played a key role in helping her adjust to life after treatment. “Once treatment finishes, there’s still a lot to process,” she explains. “Going back to work, adjusting to changes, and finding your confidence again, it all takes time.” She believes the support offered by Beatson Cancer Charity makes a real difference during this stage. Now, Jane is continuing to look forward. She’s keen to share her story and help raise awareness, particularly as her type of cancer is less commonly associated with women her age. Her family are also finding ways to give back. Her youngest son is planning a fundraising challenge this year to support Beatson Cancer Charity and help others access the same care. For Jane, the support she’s received has helped her take those important steps forward.
“Until you’ve been through a diagnosis and treatment you don’t understand just how important these services are.”
Jane Hogarth Beatson Patient
Impact Report 2025
5
Every day, Beatson Cancer Charity provides practical, emotional and psychological support to patients and families affected by cancer and bereavement. From group programmes and complementary therapies to befriending and employment support, each service is designed around individual needs. In 2025, these services continued to make a meaningful difference, helping people feel less anxious, more confident and better able to cope, while ensuring no one had to face cancer or loss alone. 6
Beatson Cancer Charity
outreach
Our Specialist Health and Work Service (SHAWS) supports those affected by cancer, or those who are caring for someone with cancer, to communicate with their employer to remain in work, return to work, or look for a new job. About the Service Our support begins with a conversation and is delivered on a one-to-one basis, shaped by the needs of the individual. In 2025, our SHAWS Practitioners supported 209 people, including 144 individuals accessing the service for the first time, each with their own circumstances, concerns and goals.
Outcomes This personalised support is helping people feel more confident and in control of their working lives. On average, service users reported a:
Increase in their confidence to communicate their needs in the workplace
Increase in their ability to make decisions about employment
“You’ve been incredibly helpful, giving me the support and confidence to advocate for myself and make the changes I needed, thank you.” SHAWS Service User September 2025
Impact Report 2025
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Our Fear of Recurrence Group Programme supports people post cancer treatment, helping them manage worries about cancer returning and develop coping skills to live a meaningful life. About the Programme Fear of cancer recurrence is one of the most commonly reported concerns for cancer survivors and can affect mood, relationships, work and enjoyment of life. For some, these feelings lessen over time, but for others they can feel overwhelming and make it difficult to live meaningfully. The group, led by a psychologist and facilitator, is designed to support people to understand and manage these worries and feelings in everyday life. The sessions introduce a range of coping skills, including anxiety management techniques, grounding exercises, and exploration of what a meaningful life looks like for each person as they move forward. In 2025, our Fear of Recurrence Group Programme supported 69 new participants across eight groups, with 63 successfully completing the course, achieving a 91% completion rate. The programme helped people manage worries about cancer returning or progressing, giving them
Reduction in anxiety
Reduction in depressive symptoms
Improvement in overall mental wellbeing
Improvement in quality of life
practical tools to reduce fear and improve quality of life.
Outcomes This support is helping participants reduce worry, improve emotional wellbeing and feel more able to focus on living well.
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Reduction in recurrence-related worries
Beatson Cancer Charity
outreach
The Living with Uncertainty Group Programme supports people to manage the worries and challenges of living with cancer that can’t be cured and take steps towards living a meaningful life. About the Programme For some, this uncertainty can feel manageable, but for others it can feel overwhelming and affect mood, relationships, work and everyday life. Led by a psychologist and facilitator, the programme consists of six weekly twohour sessions, delivered either online or in person. Using an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach, it helps people manage difficult thoughts and emotions, focus on what matters most and live a full and meaningful life alongside cancer.
Reduction in anxiety
In 2025, our Living with Uncertainty Group Programme supported 45 new participants across eight groups, with 40 successfully completing the programme. Through group sessions, people living with and beyond cancer were helped to manage uncertainty, process difficult emotions and focus on what matters most to them.
Outcomes This support is helping people feel calmer, more confident and more in control of what lies ahead.
Reduction depressive symptoms
Improvement in overall mental wellbeing
Improvement in psychological flexibility* *Being physiologically flexible allows people to adapt to changes in the environment and react in new, creative and healthy ways that align with an individual's goals and values. This ability also plays a vital role in health and well-being.
“Cancer often makes your world shrink, but attending the Living with Uncertainty course helped me expand what my future experiences could be.” Living with Uncertainty participant December 2025
Impact Report 2025
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Our Befriending Service provides one-to-one telephone companionship for people affected by cancer, helping to build connection, reduce isolation and offer regular emotional support. About the Service Available to inpatients, outpatients, carers and those who have completed treatment, the service matches individuals with trained volunteer befrienders who provide friendly conversation, companionship and signposting to practical and emotional support resources. This simple but meaningful contact helps people feel heard, supported and less alone during difficult times. In 2025, our Befriending Service recorded 2,089 interactions across 115 service users, including 56 new service users. Through regular phone calls and face-toface support, trained volunteer befrienders helped people affected by cancer feel less isolated and more emotionally supported.
Reduction in anxiety and feeling down
Reduction in feelings of loneliness and isolation
Outcomes This support is helping people feel less alone and better able to cope emotionally. On average, service users reported a:
Improvement in how they feel they are coping
“My befriender is one of my very best friends. She brings sunshine in the rain but equally listens intently in the dark times, a very special person with a very warm heart, I’m lucky to have her.”
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Befriending Service user December 2025
Beatson Cancer Charity
outreach
Impact Report 2025
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Our Bereavement Service supports adults and families who have been bereaved through cancer, helping them navigate grief in a way that feels right for them. About the Service We know there is no correct way to grieve, and every experience of loss is different depending on personal circumstances, relationships and support networks. Support begins with a simple conversation about how someone is feeling and what they may need help with, before creating a tailored plan that may include information and advice, one-to-one support or group sessions. Our eight-week group programme helps people build coping strategies, manage difficult thoughts and feelings, and take active steps towards building a life that feels meaningful alongside grief. In 2025, our Bereavement Service supported new group participants across four in-person groups, helping individuals and families navigate grief and loss after the death of someone close to them from cancer. Through specialist emotional support, people were given space to process their emotions, build coping strategies and feel less alone during one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Outcomes This personalised support is helping people feel less overwhelmed and more able to cope with grief.
Reduction in anxiety
Improvement in overall mental wellbeing
Reduction in depressive symptoms
Improvement in psychological flexibility*
*Being physiologically flexible allows people to adapt to changes in the environment and react in new, creative and healthy ways that align with an individual’s goals and values. This ability also plays a vital role in health and well-being.
“I didn’t see a positive through my grief until I started to attend your meetings.” Bereavement Service user November 2025
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Beatson Cancer Charity
what we’ve made possible
Our Wellbeing Team works closely with NHS colleagues to support patients and families through some of the most challenging moments of cancer, including end of life care and bereavement. In 2025, we launched Beatson Bundles to provide comfort, dignity and practical support when it is needed most. We created two specialised bundles, one for End-of-Life Care and one for Bereavement. Each bundle has a distinct purpose and was shaped through consultation with patients, relatives and ward teams, ensuring every item is both practical and genuinely supportive. Beatson Bundles were provided to ward staff across The Beatson (including Teenage and Young Adult Unit and Enhanced Care Unit), Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Royal Alexandria Hospital and Glasgow Royal Infirmary:
End of Life Care Packs
Voice-Recording Teddy Bears
Bereavement Packs
Impact Report 2025
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Designed to help create a calmer, more personal environment in hospital, supporting comfort and dignity for patients, and helping families share quiet moments together.
Created to support families as they navigate grief, offering comfort, connection and ways to preserve precious memories. Items include: Memory box, for treasured keepsakes
Items include: Cosy blanket & slipper socks with grips, for warmth and comfort
Journal & pen, to capture thoughts, feelings and messages
Ceramic mug, for the simple comfort of a drink from a “real cup”
Canvas & finger paints, to create handprints or family artwork together Jewellery pouch, to keep meaningful items safe
Hand cream & lip balm, to ease dryness and encourage gentle touch and connection
Night sky projector, Bluetooth speaker & LED tealight candles, to soften the clinical environment with calming light and sound
Voice-recording teddy bear, allowing a parent to record a message or story for their children Special occasion cards, for future milestone moments that can be written now and gifted later
Both bundles are presented in a jute bag with the Beatson Heart Logo.
End of Life Care Bundle
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Beatson Cancer Charity
what we’ve made possible
The Calman Centre opened on 2 September 2025, extending Beatson Cancer Charity’s complementary therapy provision to support outpatients and family members affected by cancer. The Centre provides a calm, welcoming space, with two dedicated therapy rooms, two therapists delivering appointments, and a team of volunteers creating a warm reception environment for everyone who comes through the doors. The expanded service offers a broad range of gentle, light touch complementary therapies and beauty treatments, designed to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and support wellbeing during and after treatment. From September to December 2025, the Calman Centre delivered 462 complementary therapy appointments, supporting 170 people.
Impact Report 2025
The opening of the Calman Centre also enabled Beatson Cancer Charity to expand its support services by introducing a dedicated counselling service, recognising the emotional impact that cancer can have on patients and their loved ones. Since its launch in November 2025, the counselling service has supported 29 people, providing specialist emotional support in a safe and compassionate environment.
Complementary Therapy Appointments
People supported through Counselling
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When Neil Stewart retired after a 32-year career as a civil engineer, he was looking for a way to stay active and give something back. It was a natural next step to join Beatson Cancer Charity, a cause already close to home. Neil’s wife, Audrey, had been volunteering in the charity’s café for several years. Inspired by how much she enjoyed supporting others and being part of the team, Neil began volunteering alongside her around five years ago. What started with helping at events - folding t-shirts for the Santa Dash, supporting fundraising activities, and assisting at large dinners - soon grew into a varied and hands-on volunteering role. Over time, Neil also contributed as a volunteer driver, supporting clinical trials by transporting equipment and samples between patients’ homes and the hospital. But it was joining the gardening team that gave him a particularly meaningful way to contribute.
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Beatson Cancer Charity
Alongside fellow volunteers, he plants, weeds, waters and maintains these spaces so they remain welcoming and well-kept. It’s flexible, practical work, but the results are visible and immediate. “It’s about making the gardens look as healthy and as tidy as they can be,” Neil explains. “If it brightens someone’s day, then it’s all worthwhile.” The impact of this work goes beyond aesthetics. Patients, families and staff often stop to comment on how much the gardens mean to them, offering a moment of calm or a small lift during what can be incredibly difficult days. For Neil, those interactions are what make volunteering so rewarding.
“It brings a smile to people’s faces,” he says. “Even just a quick thank you as they walk past. It makes you feel good to know you’re helping in some way.”
volunteering
Today, Neil helps care for the green spaces around The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, including courtyards, garden areas and balcony spaces at Beatson Cancer Charity’s Wellbeing Centre.
Neil and Audrey’s connection to The Beatson is deeply personal. Audrey is living with leukaemia, and like many families across the west of Scotland, they know others who have received care there. That shared experience is what drives Neil to give his time. “The Beatson is one of those places where everyone knows someone who’s been there,” he says. “It’s very highly regarded, and it just feels right to give something back.” Through his dedication, Neil is helping to create spaces that offer comfort, reflection and a sense of normality - showing how volunteering, in all its forms, plays a vital role in supporting people every day.
Our Beatson in Bloom volunteer gardeners outside The Tom Wheldon entrance at The Beatson.
Impact Report 2025
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our volunteers help make a difference every day. Across Beatson Cancer Charity, our volunteers give their time, care and compassion to support people affected by cancer. From welcoming faces in hospital and our cafés, to befriending and fundraising and office support, volunteers help make a meaningful difference every day.
+ 9.3% Increase in volunteering hours (vs 2024)
In 2025 our volunteers gifted over
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23,783.5 hours Beatson Cancer Charity
volunteering
£474,664.30
702
Economic value of volunteering hours
Volunteers giving their time (+22% on 2024)
Volunteer time
18%
allocated by activity Hospital based
30%
10%
Cafe Fundraising / Office Support Care Services (Befriending) Other (Events & Gardening)
18%
Impact Report 2025
42%
*Economic value calculated using the Volunteer Scotland Economic Value of Volunteering Calculator, multiplied by 1.2 to include an additional 20% for overheads (pension, holiday pay).
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Behind every breakthrough in cancer research is a series of small but critical steps, moments where the right support makes progress possible. At the Glasgow Tissue Research Facility, Beatson Cancer Charity’s grants for specialised equipment have provided exactly that, enabling researchers to move faster, go further, and ultimately improve outcomes for patients. When Professor Joanne Edwards reflects on how things used to work, the contrast is clear. Research once relied on time-intensive, manual processes, with scientists counting cells on individual slides under a microscope. It was detailed work, but it limited both speed and scale. That began to change in 2024, when Beatson Cancer Charity awarded a £76,000 grant to replace an older system with a next generation digital slide scanner, the Pannoramic1000. “We used to count cells manually,” Joanne explains. “Now we can scan up to 1,000 slides and ask the computer to analyse them in ways we simply couldn’t before.” The shift was significant. High resolution digital imaging now allows advanced software to detect patterns in tumour tissue that would take far longer to identify by eye. What once took weeks can now be completed much faster, with greater accuracy and consistency. For Dr Pamela McCall, who leads the facility, the difference was immediate. The team is now able to run multiple projects at once, handling larger volumes of samples and returning results to researchers more quickly. “It’s made us much more efficient,” she says. “We can bring in different projects at the same time, get them onto the system, and get results back to researchers much quicker.” But this investment was not the end of the story. It created the foundation for further progress. In 2025, Beatson Cancer Charity expanded its support with a £30,000 contribution grant for tissue microarray machines. These allow researchers to analyse hundreds of tumour samples on a single slide, significantly increasing capacity and reducing turnaround times. 20
Dr McCall explains that previously, many samples had to be processed manually, which was slower and less precise. Now, with additional machines in place, that work can be completed far more efficiently. “We’ve now got multiple machines running and multiple projects going at the same time,” she says. “It removes that pipeline and gets everything to researchers faster.”
“You know how hard people work to raise that money,” she says. “And it all comes back round to help discoveries and treatments.”
grant giving
Where the scanner transformed how samples are analysed, this next step allows the facility to work at a much larger scale. More projects can run simultaneously, and researchers receive results faster.
Joanne sees that impact over the long term. She describes a rectal cancer study that began with a small grant funding just 20 patients. The data from that early work helped secure further funding and eventually led to a major clinical trial with strong response rates. “You can’t just look at one piece of equipment and say what it’s done,” she says. “It’s Beatson Cancer Charity being involved at multiple different stages that makes the difference.”
The impact of these grants extends beyond the equipment itself. By reducing manual workload, the team has gained valuable time to focus on development and future research. Joanne highlights how this has created new opportunities, including supporting team members to further their education. One colleague has already completed a Master’s degree and is now moving on to a PhD. “It’s not just about accelerating research,” she says. “It’s about creating opportunities for people as well.” For Dr McCall, there is also a strong connection between the work in the lab and the people who make it possible. Many supporters of Beatson Cancer Charity have been affected by cancer themselves, and their efforts
That is the real impact of grant giving. Not a single moment, but a chain of progress built over time. The £76,000 investment in the digital slide scanner in 2024 created the conditions for growth. The £30,000 grant for tissue microarray machines in 2025 expanded that investment, increasing capacity and allowing research to move faster. Together, they are helping ensure that discoveries do not stand still but continue to move forward towards better outcomes for people affected by cancer.
directly contribute to progress in research.
Impact Report 2025
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Funding from Beatson Cancer Charity has given Sidhant Seth the opportunity to step beyond the limits of standard medical training and focus on improving care for people with lymphoma. “I am a haematology specialty trainee doctor. Haematology postgraduate training lasts for 5 years, usually with six-month rotations between different hospital departments. During this time, doctors are often very busy with general ward work, which can limit opportunities to focus on a specific area or get involved in research.
meaningful research or quality improvement
The Lymphoma Clinical Fellow post is a dedicated one-year role that allows a trainee to step out of these general rotations and
That time has also helped Sidhant build confidence and expertise. “Alongside this, being able to focus specifically on lymphoma has helped me build deeper expertise and confidence in managing these patients.
focus specifically on lymphoma care.” “My week is varied. I see patients in lymphoma clinics and clinical trials clinics, help review and report lymphoma biopsy samples in the laboratory, and have protected time to work on audit and research projects. This balance of clinical care, diagnostics, and research is a unique and valuable aspect of the role.” Having the time to focus has been the most significant change. “The most valuable aspect has been having dedicated time to work on projects. In standard training, most of our time is taken up by clinical duties, so it can be difficult to properly start and complete
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work. This role has given me protected time to focus on audit and research projects from start to finish, which has been incredibly rewarding. It has allowed me to contribute to improving patient care in a more lasting way, rather than just managing day to day clinical work.”
Clinically, this role has helped me become much more confident in managing patients with lymphoma. I now feel very comfortable looking after routine cases independently, and I have also developed a better understanding of the more subtle aspects of managing complex or challenging cases.” The fellowship has also opened doors academically. “Academically, the role has provided both the time and support to get involved in research projects. This has allowed me to take projects from early stages
Beatson Cancer Charity
Without the clinical pressures of a ward-based job, it has been easy to get study leave to attend such conferences and learn about the latest developments in lymphoma research.” His work is already contributing to wider understanding of treatment. “One of the main projects I have worked on has involved collecting and analysing data from patients across the west of Scotland who have been treated with a medication called Acalabrutinib for Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Our findings are broadly in line with the results seen in large clinical trials. This is important because CLL is a relatively common condition, particularly in older adults who may be frail or have other medical problems. Real world data like this helps us understand whether newer treatments are safe, effective, and well tolerated outside of clinical trial settings.” Alongside this, he has worked collaboratively with others across the UK. “I have also been involved in a collaborative project with lymphoma specialists across the UK looking at national data on the epidemiology of Hodgkin lymphoma. Working with experts from different centres has been a valuable experience and has helped build academic links and collaboration.”
His role also supports access to new treatments for patients. “In addition, I have contributed to the groundwork for delivering clinical trials locally. This includes helping identify suitable patients, supporting trial set up, and ensuring studies can run smoothly. This work is essential for making new treatments available to patients and improving care in the future. The lymphoma fellow role is integral to the running of the lymphoma clinical trials portfolio at The Beatson. This includes helping identify suitable patients, supporting trial set up, and ensuring studies can run smoothly. This work is essential for making new treatments available to patients and improving care in the future. During my time in the fellow position, I have looked after many patients with lymphoma who have been successfully treated with good outcomes, both on standard treatments and on innovative clinical trials.” “Without the support of Beatson Cancer Charity, this post would not exist. It has given me the chance to step out of routine training and spend proper, protected time focusing on lymphoma. That has meant I have been able to get involved in research, audit, and clinical trials in a way that just is not really possible otherwise.”
supporting future cancer specialists
£71,856
£40,000
Multiple Myeloma Clinical Fellowship
Lymphoma Clinical Fellowship
In 2025, funding was provided to support clinical fellowship roles across a number of specialisms at The Beatson, helping clinicians develop expertise while contributing to patient care and research.
Continued support
Continued support
Impact Report 2025
funded grant posts giving
through to presenting results. I have had the opportunity to present my work at international conferences, including the American Society of Haematology Annual Meeting in Orlando, and I will also hopefully be presenting at the upcoming European Haematology Association Congress in Stockholm.
£61,066 Head & Neck Clinical Fellowship
£172,922 Total Investment
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When Graham MacIver, 59, from Renfrewshire, began to feel unusually fatigued, it did not seem like anything serious. A lifelong cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Graham had always taken pride in looking after his health. Alongside his partner, Libby McGougan, 54, he led an active lifestyle, with no significant medical history to cause concern. But everything changed suddenly. After experiencing stomach pain and collapsing at home due to a bowel obstruction, Graham was admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. He was initially stabilised and discharged, but further investigations, including CT scans, revealed devastating news. Graham was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, which had already spread to his liver and lymph nodes. “For two people who have always been so focused on health and wellbeing, the diagnosis came completely out of the blue,” Libby explains. “We were absolutely devastated.” During Graham’s treatment he had a short stay in The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, where the care he received there quickly made a lasting impression.
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“The nursing staff were incredible. The domestic staff were so kind. Everyone we encountered felt like angels,” Libby says. Amid the clinical environment of the hospital, one space stood out in particular: the Wellbeing Centre. “The Wellbeing Centre felt like an oasis,” Libby recalls. “It has such a calm, welcoming atmosphere. There is no pressure, just a sense that you can breathe and take a moment.” During his time as an inpatient, Graham was offered a reflexology session from Lisa, a therapist from the Wellbeing team. For Graham this treatment was brought directly to his bedside. “Lisa created such a peaceful environment,” Libby explains. “She made sure the room was private, played calming music, and completely transformed the space.”
Beatson Cancer Charity
“Graham felt deeply relaxed afterwards. It was very emotional, he had a real release, which was powerful to witness. It gave him a moment of calm in the middle of everything that was happening.” The experience also introduced them to additional support available through The Calman Centre, where a range of complementary therapies are offered to patients and their families. “We did not expect anything like this,” Libby says. “To be offered that level of care and compassion meant so much.” For Libby, the flexibility of the service, particularly the ability for treatments to be delivered at the bedside, made a significant difference.”
Impact Report 2025
“If you are not well enough to leave the ward, having that support come to you is so important. It allows you to fully relax in a way that just would not otherwise be possible.”
wellbeing
The impact of the session was profound.
Reflecting on their experience, Libby believes services like the Wellbeing Centre should be an essential part of every hospital. “It is such a special space. The team create an environment where you can step away, even briefly, from the reality of what you are going through. That kind of support is invaluable.” For Graham and Libby, the Wellbeing Centre has provided more than just relaxation. It has offered moments of peace, dignity and emotional release during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
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Our Wellbeing Centre, located on the fourth floor of The Beatson, offers a welcoming and calming space for patients and their families, somewhere to step away from the clinical environment of wards and clinics for support, comfort and time together. Patients who have accessed our wellbeing therapies, hair and wig services have told us these appointments have made a meaningful difference to both their emotional wellbeing and physical health during and after treatment. Our therapy team carries out pre- and post-treatment evaluations for all therapeutic interventions. This enables us to assess the effectiveness of treatments, measure their impact, and identify positive outcomes for patients.
Nearly
Over
11,500 therapies
provided over 2025 by the Wellbeing Centre
22,778 visits
9 satellite centres
165%
75%
Increase in confidence
Improvement in nail condition
For patients who have used our hair and wig services
For patients who have used our podiatry services
56%
46%
Reduction in pain
Reduction in anxiety
“They look great and I can touch them and they don’t hurt, they are just totally different, I don’t know how I would have coped without you.”
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to the Wellbeing Centre and supporting
Podiatry Patient September 2025
Beatson Cancer Charity
wellbeing
130
1 9 74
24
2115
322
Signature Therapies
Supportive Conversations
Beauty Appointments
Reflexology
Relaxation
188
128 0
37 3
1346
110 0
Reiki
Podiatry
Footcare
Massage
Manicures / Pedicures / Nail Therapy
198
192
290
19 31
6
Indian Head Massage
Consultation / Visits
Facials
Hairdressing & Wigs
Anticipatory Nausea Project
“Haven’t been able to sleep since I started radiotherapy but feel like I could just nod off now & sleep well.”
Impact Report 2025
Facial Patient June 2025
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annual review 2025/26 Our Annual Review 2025/26 celebrates the difference your support has made for people affected by cancer over the past year. Read it online or pick up a printed copy to discover more about the people, projects and initiatives made possible by your generosity.
stay connected with beatson cancer charity Sign up to our Enews and keep connected with the difference you’re helping to make to discover how your generosity is helping people affected by cancer across Scotland. Sign up now: beatsoncancercharity.org/enews
Beatson Cancer Charity The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre 1053 Great Western Road Glasgow, G12 0YN 0141 212 0505 | info@beatsoncancercharity.org www.beatsoncancercharity.org
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Registered Office: The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, 1053 Great Western Road Glasgow, G12 0YN VAT No. 274839460 | Company No. SC461242 (Scotland Charity No. SC044442)