EPISODE 52: Dame Laura Lee, DBE, Chief Executive of Maggie's – Everyone’s Home of Cancer Care
PART 1
What happened in 1995 when a 30 year old Clinical Oncology Nurse Specialist at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland gave chemotherapy to her breast cancer patient named Maggie Keswick Jencks? How did this immediate friendship lead to 24 Maggie’s centers in NHS hospitals across the UK, and three independently run international centers, 26 years later?
On Part 1 of today’s episode, Cheryl interviews Dame Laura Lee, DBE, Chief Executive of Maggie’s–Everyone’s Home for Cancer Care. Maggie’s is a special story shared here through Cheryl and Laura’s deeply rich and meaningful conversation.
Learn how Laura and Maggie became friends, and prior to Maggie’s passing in 1995, had created architectural plans for the first Maggie’s center in the UK. How did Laura make the transition from Clinical Oncology Nurse Specialist to becoming the first employee of Maggie’s? How did she learn about architecture and design, and how did she attract the attention of famous architects, like Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, and Renzo Piano to design Maggie’s centers?
Sit back, relax and enjoy this deeply nourishing conversation about how two women with a mission to transform cancer care for patients, their families and caregivers attracted the attention of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall who, in November 2008, became Maggie’s President.
Learn more about Dame Laura Lee and Maggie’s by visiting: https://www.maggies.org/.
Read Maggie’s architectural brief; given to every architect who designs a Maggie’s center: https://www.maggies.org/about-us/publications/
In Part 1 of Cheryl’s conversation with Dame Laura Lee, they discuss:
- What was Laura Lee’s life like prior to meeting Maggie Keswick Jencks, her oncology patient in 1995 who would be the catalyst for Maggie’s?
- What happened when Laura met Maggie in 1995, when she was thirty years old, and working as a Clinical Oncology Nurse Specialist at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland?
- What was it about that connection with Maggie that inspired both Laura and Maggie to take action to create the first Maggie’s?
- What was Laura’s transition like from being an oncology nurse to learning about architecture and design, and getting architects to help build Maggies?
- What makes Maggies different from other cancer care facilities in the UK and in the world?
The world is changing quickly. The Center for Health Design is committed to providing the healthcare design and senior living design industries with the latest research, best practices and innovations. The Center can help you solve today’s biggest healthcare challenges and make a difference in care, safety, medical outcomes, and the bottom line. Find out more at healthdesign.org.
Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners:
- The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers
- The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design
Learn more about how to become a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer® by visiting the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers at: https://aahid.org/. Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/
PART 2
On Part 2 of today’s episode with Dame Laura Lee, DBE, Chief Executive of Maggie’s –Everyone’s Home for Cancer Care, Laura shares details of the special gardens at Maggie’s, and how thoughtfully they are designed to nourish every visitor, supporting both optimistic and challenging conversations.
Learn more about Maggie’s famous architects, the architect of the first Maggie’s center, and what qualities an architect must have to make her or him a perfect fit to design a Maggie’s. How did Frank Gehry become a Maggie’s architect, and how did Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall become Maggie’s President in 2008?
Part 2 continues Cheryl’s deep conversation with Dame Laura Lee as they explore the evolution of Maggie’s centers, what has changed because of the pandemic, and what the future of Maggie’s holds.
Learn more about Dame Laura Lee and Maggie’s by visiting: https://www.maggies.org/.
Read Maggie’s architectural brief; given to every architect who designs a Maggie’s center: https://www.maggies.org/about-us/publications/.
In Part 2 of Cheryl’s conversation with Dame Laura Lee, they discuss:
- What do the gardens that play a central role in Maggie’s look like, and how do they provide nourishment to their visitors?
- How did Maggie’s husband, Charles Jencks get involved with Maggie’s?
- Who was the architect who built the first Maggie’s?
- What qualities does an architect have that make him/her a perfect fit to design a Maggie’s?
- What are some of Maggie’s current challenges with the pandemic, and how has Maggie’s adapted?
- Listen to Laura tell the story of how In November 2008, HRH (Her Royal Highness) The Duchess of Cornwall became Maggie’s President.
- In 2019, Laura was awarded a Damehood for her services to people with cancer. Hear Laura tell the story and explain what exactly a Dame is.
- Who are some of Maggie’s strategic partners?
- What advice does Laura have for interior design and architecture students who are considering the field of healthcare, but might be a bit afraid of taking the plunge and specializing in it?
The world is changing quickly. The Center for Health Design is committed to providing the healthcare design and senior living design industries with the latest research, best practices and innovations. The Center can help you solve today’s biggest healthcare challenges and make a difference in care, safety, medical outcomes, and the bottom line. Find out more at healthdesign.org.
Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners:
- The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers
- The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design
Learn more about how to become a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer® by visiting the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers at: https://aahid.org/. Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/
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Inspired by the properties of photocatalytic materials, Porcelanosa has evolved their KRION® Solid Surface material called K-LIFE. When K-LIFE comes into contact with light, it will be able to purify the air, expel harmful bacteria, and more. K-LIFE can easily be integrated into many applications – from wall coverings and claddings for ceilings, to custom tables, bars, sinks, shelving units and furniture. The application of K-LIFE in areas with high daily traffic, such as waiting rooms or reception areas, can assure a gradual decontamination of germs and lead to ongoing ecological benefits. Some research performed with KRION® K-LIFE, which has photocatalytic properties, proved that the material can significantly reduce the presence of bacteria. This revolutionary process has led to a patent pending, innovative, and exclusive product that will have a direct effect on our quality of life.
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