Stevenson Supports Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal

Stewart Stevenson, SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, lent his support to Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal this week by sporting a yellow daffodil and visiting their exhibition at the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Stevenson met staff and heard about the work of the charity that cares for terminally ill people and their families across Scotland, before posing with a placard pledging support for people with a terminal illness.

He said:

“Everybody is related to or knows of someone that has been given a terminal diagnosis and realises how devastating this can be. The service that Marie Curie provides in caring for people in their own homes and in their Scottish hospices in Edinburgh and Glasgow is wonderful.

“The Great Daffodil Appeal is Marie Curie’s biggest fundraiser and the money raised will go towards helping those in our communities who want to make the most of the time that they have left. Their services are offered free of charge to those with a terminal illness, but they need to raise around £9 million each year to fund this.”

More than 200 Marie Curie Nursing team members work in Scotland, caring for around 4800 terminally ill people and their families at home each year. The hospices in Edinburgh and Glasgow care for around 2600 people annually.

Richard Meade, Head of Policy and Public Affairs Scotland added:

“It’s thanks to the support of MSPs such as Stewart we can spread the word about the Great Daffodil Appeal and raise vital funds to support terminally ill people in Scotland. Every March millions of people across the UK support our biggest fundraising campaign and it’s easy to join in, simply give a donation and wear your daffodil pin.

“With the support of the Scottish Parliament, Scotland will lead the way in caring for people with a terminal illness.”

Marie Curie is also a leader in research into the best ways of caring for people with a terminal illness. Around 70 per cent of the charity’s income comes from donations with the balance of funds coming from the NHS.