Colin Montgomerie and his family were in Glasgow on Thursday to announce the first project to be funded by the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation. The Foundation established in memory of his mother Elizabeth who died of cancer in 1991, has formed a partnership with the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres to build a new Centre in Lanarkshire.
The Elizabeth Montgomerie Building will be based at the Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire and as with previous Maggie’s Centres, will be designed by one of the world’s leading architects.The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation was founded to provide practical and emotional support to cancer patients, their families and carers.
Eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner and Europe's Ryder Cup Captain in 2010, said: "The death of my mother from lung cancer was a devastating time for my family and me and I witnessed at first hand the horrific impact this disease can have. I was therefore determined to do something about this and I decided to focus on the West of Scotland – the part of the world where I was born, where my mother was treated and where there are some the highest cancer rates in Europe.
"I am therefore delighted to be working with the Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres to develop the Elizabeth Montgomerie Building, which I know will provide exactly the type of support needed by cancer patients and their families. I am looking forward to working with them over the next few years.’
Maggie's CEO Laura Lee said: "Maggie’s is delighted that the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation announced last night that it plans to raise the funds for Maggie's Lanarkshire. Lanarkshire is an area of Scotland that has a high incidence of cancer, with approximately 3,500 new diagnoses a year across the county. The emotional and practical impact on those individuals and their families and friends is devastating as they face one of life's biggest challenges.
"The people of Lanarkshire deserve access to the vital support that only a Maggie's Centre can offer; to help to transform their lives positively and build a life beyond the disease. Colin's most generous announcement made in memory of his mother will ensure that Maggie's can provide even more support in an even more ambitious Centre than we had thought possible for the people of Lanarkshire. We are very grateful to Colin and his family."
Montgomerie added: "I had always wanted to create a lasting and valuable legacy to my mother and am grateful to Maggie’s for helping me realise this dream. In the past two years, I have been supporting the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, who are dedicated to delivering services for people with lung cancer. I have enjoyed working with them on the valuable work that they do and hope to work with them again in the future.”
