Marie Curie is a registered charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides care and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families. It was established in 1948, the same year as the National Health Service. In financial year 2014/15 the charity provided care to 40,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its nine hospices, along with support for their families. More than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals help provide this care. At the nine Marie Curie Hospices, quality of life for patients is actively promoted as is providing much needed support for their carers. Marie Curie provides the largest number of hospice beds outside the National Health Service.
History
Marie Curie Cancer Care was founded in 1948. When the Hampstead-based Marie Curie Hospital was transferred to the NHS, a group of committee members from the hospital decided to preserve the name of Marie Curie in the charitable medical field. This was the beginning of the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation − a charity dedicated to alleviating suffering from cancer today − today known as Marie Curie. Following the donation of an engagement ring to help raise funds for the charity, the very first appeal was launched and brought in a substantial £4,000.The charity initially began as a hospital, opened in 1930 by the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, which specialised in the radiological treatment of women suffering from cancer and other diseases. In 1944, the hospital was destroyed in the war by a direct hit in an air raid. In 1948, Bernard Robinson OBE set about re-establishing the hospital and decided to separate from the National Health Service. He set up the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation to perpetuate the name of the pioneering scientist, Marie Curie. By 1950 the ongoing appeal had raised a staggering £30,000 and two years later the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation officially became a charity - number 207994. An extensive nationwide survey was undertaken to help identify medical, nursing and research needs in relation to cancer. The results formed the basis of the work of the Foundation and, largely, still do today.
The Executive Board delegate the day-to-day management of Marie Curie to their Chief Executive, Matthew Reed, who appoints the Executive Board, made up of the charity’s most senior managers. Who are:- Matthew Reed Jude Bridge Caroline Hamblett FCIPD Charles Hooper Penny Laurence-Parr Dr Bill Noble Dee Sissons MSc RGN Andrew Whitehead ACA Belinda Brown The accounts for the year ending 31 March 2015 showed that the chief executive was paid a salary of £166,650 and a total of 41 staff took home a salary of more than £60,000 – up from 30 the previous year.
Nurses
An IPSOS MORI survey shows that seven out of ten carers say that people with a terminal illness don't get the care and support they need. Marie Curie Nurses, provide home care for thousands of people with terminal illnesses across the UK every year. The nurses also provide practical and emotional support for families and carers.
Hospices
Marie Curie provides the largest number of hospice beds outside the NHS and voluntary contributions, together with statutory government NHS funding are essential to continue providing these services. There are hospices in Belfast, Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Penarth, and the Marie Curie Hospice, West Midlands in Solihull.
Research
Marie Curie is a leading funder of palliative care research to find better ways of caring for people with terminal illnesses.
Marie Curie supports and funds the work of three long term Palliative Care Research Facilities across the UK - The Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit, London; The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute, Liverpool; and The Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, Cardiff.
Marie Curie awards research project grants in open competition to the Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Programme annually and also funds an ongoing portfolio of grants from the Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Fund.
Marie Curie encourages research across its hospices and nursing service. To help achieve this, three posts are held through its Research Facilitator Programme at Marie Curie Hospices in Belfast, Edinburgh and the West Midlands.
Marie Curie hosts an annual research conference jointly held with the Palliative Care Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. The aim of the conference is to support the translation of research findings into practice.
Fundraising
Marie Curie adopted the daffodil emblem in 1986; it is also the emblem of leading cancer charities in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland. Marie Curie Cancer Care's biggest fundraising campaign is called The Great Daffodil Appeal and takes place throughout March each year. Actor Hugh Grant did publicity work for the organization in 2008 after his mother received care from Marie Curie Cancer Research. Followed in more recent years by Stephen Mangan, Alison Steadman, and Ranulph Fiennes.
Notable campaigns
The Great Daffodil Appeal is the flagship fundraising campaign of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Companies and individuals sell daffodil pin badges and wear yellow in support. Walk to Remember is a 10 km walk in various locations around the UK. Marie Curie's Blooming Great Tea Party runs over two weeks in June where individuals and companies provide tea and cakes in order to raise funds for the charity.
