Two charities have announced their intention to merge in an aim to support more people affected by cancer.
Maggie’s and the Ruth Strauss Foundation (RSF) said that from June, RSF’s staff would begin transitioning to Maggie’s.
All RSF’s employees were consulted and offered the opportunity to move over to Maggie’s, which will retain its name and branding.
In the year to March 2025, RSF recorded a total income of £2.31m and had 16 staff.
Meanwhile, Maggie’s recorded a total income of £30.2m and employed 330 people in 2024.
Raising £30m to support more people
RSF was established in 2019 by former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss in memory of his late wife, Ruth Strauss, who died in 2018 from an incurable lung cancer.
The charity helps families prepare for the death of a parent and raises awareness of the need for more research and collaboration in the fight against non-smoking lung cancers.
Founded in 1996 and based in Glasgow, Maggie’s supports anyone with cancer and their families through its 27 support centres around the UK and online.
The charity said it intends to have 60 Maggie’s across the UK – one at every NHS cancer centre – and support 25 million visits to its centres over the next 30 years.
“In our 30th year, one of our key objectives is to raise £30m to help us support more people to live well with and beyond cancer as well as family and friends impacted by cancer,” it said.
‘Exciting opportunity to grow the work we do’
The charities, which already work in partnership, said Andrew Strauss would become an honorary patron of Maggie’s.
Laura Lee, chief executive of Maggie’s, said: “The RSF has provided much-needed care and support to thousands of families facing cancer over the last seven years – staff should be incredibly proud of all they’ve achieved.
“Their important work will continue as they become part of Maggie’s – we’ll prioritise their vital support for families and work closely with staff to ensure that Ruth’s legacy lives on through the work that we do.
“This is an exciting opportunity to grow the work that we do and reach new communities and we’re grateful to Andrew Strauss and the Ruth Strauss board for trusting us to take Ruth’s legacy and work forward.
“Ultimately, with growing numbers of people being diagnosed with cancer, we want to ensure we’re there to support everyone who needs us so no one has to face cancer alone.”
RSF’s CEO Ines Thiru said: “What began as Ruth’s determination to ensure her children could continue to thrive, both during the uncertainty of living with incurable cancer and after her death, has grown into a trusted network of support for families across the UK.
“I’m incredibly proud of what our team has achieved in just seven years since our inception.
“Together, we’ve built something truly meaningful that’s making a real difference to families navigating the most difficult of circumstances, and those affected by non-smoking lung cancer.
“As we look ahead, we’re excited to build on these strong foundations under Maggie’s, together building a cohesive, integrated and holistic network of care.”
