Pictured: Mr McArthur with Ms Duncan and Ms Lennie at Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal reception at parliament.
Orkney’s MSP, Liam McArthur, has recognised the extraordinary work of those delivering Marie Curie services across communities in Orkney.
During a Members Business Debate on Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal yesterday (Wednesday), Mr McArthur highlighted the strong and growing support for the work that Marie Curie does locally and paid tribute to the local Marie Curie team, including nurses, staff and volunteers.
The Great Daffodil Appeal is Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign, which takes place in March each year.
Funds raised from the appeal help Marie Curie nurses provide care and support to people living with terminal illness and their families in their own homes or at their hospices.
Following the debate, Mr McArthur met with staff and volunteers, including Linda Lennie and Sara Duncan from Orkney, at an event in parliament to hear about the range of Marie Curie services that provides support to over 7,500 people with terminal illnesses in Scotland each year.
Commenting afterwards, Mr McArthur said:
“Marie Curie nurses, staff and volunteers across the country help provide invaluable support to those with a terminal illness and their families.
“We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude.
“With people living longer, the need for good palliative care services is only set to grow.
“Unfortunately, even now, one in four people who need palliative care struggle to access it.
“This highlights the importance of more nurses being recruited and close collaboration between the public and third sector to help meet that growing demand.
“In Orkney, I am pleased to see the service expanding with more people than ever being able to access end of life care and the opportunity to die in the place of their choosing.
“The feedback from families who have drawn on the support of the Marie Curie nurses in Orkney has been extremely positive, and it is encouraging to hear that efforts are underway to recruit more nurses.
“Their work would not be possible, of course, without the fundraising efforts of volunteers.
“It was a pleasure, therefore, to welcome back Linda Lennie and Sara Duncan to the parliament and to offer my thanks to them and the local team of volunteers for all they do year-round to support Marie Curie.”
