Hebridean Men's Cancer Support Group
(opens in a new tab)We support people who are affected by Cancer and live in the Outer Hebrides.
Great news which will help so manyNEW MRI SERVICE OFFICIALLY OPENS IN THE WESTERN ISLES
Patients across the Western Isles will soon benefit from access to advanced MRI scanning closer to home as NHS Western Isles officially opens its new MRI service today. The first patients will be welcomed to the service on Monday.
The introduction of MRI scanning marks a major milestone for healthcare in the islands, reducing the need for many patients to travel to the mainland for investigations and enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment. The new service has been made possible through significant investment in facilities, equipment and workforce, including the recruitment of a dedicated MRI team.
The new facility, named the Eileanan Siar MRI Care Centre, reflects both the location and purpose of the service. The name was inspired by a suggestion from Stornoway Primary School's Class GL4A and was selected following a community naming exercise which attracted 156 submissions from across the Western Isles. Pupils from the class joined today's celebrations and officially cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new centre.
The service was formally opened during a special ceremony at Western Isles Hospital attended by staff and invited guests. Unfortunately this had to be a small and controlled occasion due to the safety and security aspects of the MRI provision.
Leading the new service is Joanne Adlam, MRI Lead Radiographer, supported by MRI Radiographers Chidiuso Maureen Ifenna-Muokanne and Kes Sinfield-Newman. Together, they bring extensive experience in MRI and diagnostic imaging and have worked closely to prepare the service for launch.
Gillian McCannon, Chair of NHS Western Isles, said: "The opening of the Eileanan Siar MRI Care Centre is a landmark moment for healthcare in the Western Isles. For many years, patients have had to travel away from home to access MRI scanning, often at a difficult and stressful time. The introduction of this service demonstrates our commitment to providing more care locally and improving the experience of patients and families across our islands.
"This achievement reflects the hard work, dedication and collaboration of many people, from those who secured the investment and delivered the project to the staff who will provide the service each day. I am particularly pleased that local schoolchildren have played a role in today's opening and in naming the centre, creating a lasting connection between this important facility and the communities it will serve.
"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this service a reality. We look forward to seeing the positive difference it will make for patients throughout the Western Isles for many years to come."
Gordon Jamieson, Chief Executive of NHS Western Isles, said: "The introduction of MRI scanning is one of the most significant developments in healthcare services in the Western Isles in recent years. Having access to MRI closer to home will make a real difference for patients and families by reducing travel and improving access to vital diagnostic services.
"Today marks the culmination of significant planning, investment and partnership working, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped make this service a reality. It is particularly fitting that local schoolchildren were able to join us for the official opening and cut the ribbon to mark the start of this exciting new chapter for healthcare in the Western Isles. Their contribution will leave a lasting legacy through the naming of the Eileanan Siar MRI Care Centre, a name that reflects both our island identity and the purpose of this important new service.
"We are also delighted to welcome our dedicated MRI team, whose expertise and commitment will help ensure the service delivers lasting benefits for our communities. We now look forward to welcoming our first patients on Monday and seeing the positive impact this service will have for people across the Western Isles."
MRI Lead Radiographer Joanne Adlam said: "It is very special to be part of a team building a completely new service, and ultimately to see patients benefit from having MRI available much closer to home. Today represents the beginning of a service that will make a real difference for people across the islands. We are excited to welcome our first patients next week and begin delivering this important service locally."
MRI Project Manager Kathleen Macdonald noted: “It has been a real privilege to manage this project and see the Eileanan Siar MRI Care Centre progress from plans on paper to a fully operational service. A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes, and it is fantastic to see that collective effort now delivering a lasting benefit for patients across our islands.”
The MRI service will provide high-quality diagnostic imaging locally, helping to improve patient experience while supporting more care to be delivered closer to home. MRI scans support the diagnosis and monitoring of a wide range of conditions and will significantly enhance local diagnostic capacity for island communities. From Monday, patients will be able to access MRI scans within the Western Isles, reducing the need for mainland travel and supporting faster access to diagnostic investigations.
For further information on the new service, please visit our MRI webpage: www.wihb.scot.nhs.uk/our-services/mri/
Today at the group we had a visit from Eddie Smith representing all of D.Ls extended family. The family wish to extend their sincere gratitude to the whole community for their overwhelming support, the many people who have sent condolences, cards, phone calls and donations. Eddie presented us with over £5,000 and lots of cakes and biscuits. This amazing contribution includes donations from many of you at the church door, donations sent separately to the family and importantly donations directly from the family. We are most grateful.
This beautiful digital artwork was done by D.Ls nephew John Smith (Put’s Son).
For those who follow us on Facebook you will have seen the huge number of comments remembering DL and the many good deeds and interactions with people over many years. Sad to see his usual chair empty at the group today. A well loved Stornoway Cove who contributed so much to our group over the years! I will miss his huge contribution to our Christmas raffle when he would go round the town encouraging companies to donate prizes. He had a way of doing all this in a good humoured way but always with great results.
D L Smith
I have always known about DL but only because he was living on Kenneth Street. He was six years older than me and when you are wee that is eons of difference. And anyway, he lived at the posh end of Kenneth Street with Clendy and Billy Forsyth and if you turned the corner into Scotland Street Bronco, Basher and Norman Macrae, the coalman. I, on the other hand, had as my contemporaries, “Prof” Mackay, Philip Macleod, the Macarthur twins, Donnie “B”, Margaret Prince, Anne Bruce (a visitor) and my best pal, “Cannon”, Murdo Maclean. In 1950 over 350 people lived on Kenneth Street packed in like sardines.
DL started his apprenticeship as a cobbler in 1952. He was the third in the family to join the business. In 1952 I was nine years old. He and I had little in common. I was just a wee guy. He was entering the sphere of adulthood. But I do remember him from the night when the cub scouts were “thrown up” to become scouts. It was exciting. It took place in the “Wee School”. All the scouts and cubs gathered and those cubs old enough to move on to be full scouts, joined a line. At the head of the hall the scouts stood in pairs facing one another with their arms suitably linked to form a channel at waist height along which cubs were “thrown” at a gentle pace. When you came out the other end you were presented with your scout neckerchief. It was very exciting and there was DL resplendent in his full uniform and wearing his kilt. He looked splendid. I vowed that someday I might look like him!
By the time I left school and went off to Aberdeen to finish my initial education, DL was part of an increasingly successful business. Not only were they cobblers, but they also sold shoes and clothes. They became suppliers to the initial Arnish Project, and we have heard so many stories about just how difficult that was on occasion.
He had married Violet Grey, daughter of Eddie Grey who was clearly rich cause he stayed on Goathill in a big house. She was also a real cracker, but I was young, I didn’t know what that meant. He palled around with Colin Maciver, Billy Forsyth and “Big Fred” Maclennan. They were men we all knew but were seldom in their company. We might see them at balls which were very popular for a time. It was an excuse to dress up, and these guys and their wives looked quite splendid in their tuxes and the girls in beautiful gowns. Mary and I caught the end of the era of the ball. Not sure why it ceased? Suffice to say we lived parallel lives for quite some time.
I knew his children through Alyth when they were in TNI. But mostly Mary and I were heavily involved in politics - mostly teacher trade unionism, so our lives did not cross too much. Then, in interesting circumstances, I retired early. I then became interested in the history of Kenneth Street where I was born. I joined the committee of the Stornoway Historical Society. (It really was ridiculous that I should join the committee given that I had only lived around Stornoway all my life whereas Mary’s historical roots and expertise went back eons. She did organise the Winter Lecture Series for many years.)
Both DL and Violet were committee members of long standing and their knowledge of people and places locally never failed to amaze me. Prior to this I had decided to write a history of Kenneth Street which I intended to deliver as a lecture to the Stornoway Historical Society in the Town Hall. It took me two years of research, and I spoke to many people who lived or had lived on Kenneth Street. In carrying out that research I visited Smiths Shoe Shop.
I had heard of the Stornoway Parliament and read about it via Aimsir Eachainn in the West Highland Free Press. Now I was about to experience it for the first time. I explained my mission to DL, and he immediately took me through to the back shop to meet the men assembled there.
Norrie Macgregor, Murdo “Smokey” Macleod, George Stewart, RJ “Barts” Macleod, Bobby “Brackie” Smith, the Smith brothers - George, “Put” and DL, Michael Maclennan, Willie “Buckoch” Macleod, Fred Maclennan, Colin Maciver and many more.
I was welcome and those present were only too willing to speak with me about Kenneth Street. Not only that but they gave me details of contacts elsewhere whom I might speak with, and I found myself attending the Parliament more and more often and I realised that not only was I learning about Kenneth Street, but I was also having my education finished! I heard tales in there that I had never heard before. Some of them were actually true, and I realised that I had to toughen up my thick skin. No prisoners were taken in that workshop. You lived or died based on the tenacity of your tongue. I loved it and I knew I was accepted when, after some time, George Stewart said to me one day as we were leaving together, “I think you should join Probus. What do you think?” I had no idea what Probus was, but I said, “Yes. I should like to do that.” I suppose I might describe Probus as a more elegant version of the Stornoway Parliament in that it had a President and a committee. Both George and DL were on the committee, and I was admitted to the group after appropriate vetting. DL served on the committee until the last AGM – at least 28 years service.
When the Smith Brothers decided to bring their business to a conclusion in 2006 and it was sold, the Parliament moved to a backroom in the Masonic Lodge. It had 18 members at that time. It still meets but death has reduced the numbers significantly and it seldom now reaches double figures.
My third connection to DL was occasioned by my being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2010. I heard that a men’s cancer group was being set up by Sandy Matheson and so I went along. There were seven people present and three of them did not have cancer – DL Smith, R.J. “Barts” Macleod and Ady Morrison. The others present in addition to Sandy were Murdo Smith, Willie Mackenzie and me. DL, Barts and Ady were there to help Sandy set up the group – Barts became the secretary, Ady became the treasurer and DL became the almoner. Sandy decided that he could not continue in the group because of his significant hearing problems.
I was sitting minding my own business at the first meeting after Sandy stood down. By then the group was in double figures. Barts leant over me and said, “We need a new chair. I am going to propose you. Don’t worry. I will do all the work!” And I have been the chair of HMCSG ever since.
I was not unhappy with being the chair since I had worked with Barts when I was President of the Probus Club and he was secretary. We had a ball.
DLs task was a very important one. He was charged with recording the names, addresses and site of their cancer for every man who came to our attention. He was ideal for the job because he had a wide knowledge of local people and where they came from. He was soon recording almost ninety men per year. He was most assiduous in his task and very reliable. He carried out this task until August 2026 when he, himself, was diagnosed with cancer a situation he met with characteristic bravery and acceptance.
So, through the Parliament, the Probus Club and HMCSG, DL and I became very good friends. I could not have had a better friend, and we have had many a laugh over the years. I have heard the same stories a hundred times over and I have enjoyed them just as much the hundredth time. We have laughed and laughed, and his concern for me after Mary died was very important. He, and Violet, have been the very best of friends. His attention to Violet is exemplary. He has been her rock. I cannot, indeed will not, tell you of the stories of Violet, DL and the leg. No prisoners were taken. He clearly loves his family very much and he tells us how he will go, when it is his turn, secure in the knowledge that he has done his best for Violet and Eddie, Rhona and Louise who are a credit to their parents.
We should not leave this story without reminding you all about how he won the war in the Middle East. His escapades in the jungle allowed me to sleep safely in my bed! Nor should we forget his sales techniques – the finger in the back of the shoe creating the illusion that the shoe fitted snugly, the back of the trousers scrunched up and pulled tight at the front for a perfect fit, the selling to an unsuspecting customer of two left shoes! There are many more similar tales – apocryphal no doubt but they all add to the mix that makes DL. And finally, there is the hearing aid. In his case this was undoubtedly a misnomer, for it seldom worked. It was in and out of his ear so often! And times he would be struggling to hear what pearls of wisdom we were pronouncing only to find that the hearing aid was in his pocket!
DL was notorious for insisting that he could not stand up and speak in public. From his seated position he frequently made excellent contributions to discussion entirely off the cuff. No more so than the Friday after his cancer diagnosis. I was all prepared, in his assumed absence, to tell the group of DL’s diagnosis, at least what was known at that time, when he walked in the door. He struggled a bit, but he was with us and he sat in his own corner. We are, all of us, creatures of habit. I sought to make suitable reference to DL in welcoming him. He responded by making, from a seated position, one of the best speeches I have heard honouring the group and extolling its virtues. His speech was warmly welcomed by everyone. I shall not forget his contribution. And, of course, he was praising the support that he was now receiving from all of us. That was typical of the man. He always wanted to be involved and if he volunteered to do something you could rely on the fact that it would be done. He had no compunction about seeking support for our group and he was instrumental in obtaining commitments from many people to give prizes to our annual raffle which is so important to the core support that we offer to men diagnosed with cancer.
There is no doubt about it that DL Smith’s passing will leave a huge gap in our lives. He was a genuinely lovely man who gave of himself to support organisations and individuals seeking nothing in return. We are going to miss him.
