In a UK first, Macmillan Cancer Support teamed up with Glasgow Life to make resources accessible to every cancer patient in the city.

And the partnership believes the scheme could be a model to be used in the rest of Scotland. It hopes the project will transform the way cancer support is offered across Glasgow.

Macmillan's general manager in Scotland, Allan Cowie, said: "We are delighted to have made Glasgow the first place the UK where everyone affected by cancer can get information and support in their local community.

"When someone is diagnosed with cancer or a loved one is diagnosed, they have lots of questions and concerns.

"They shouldn't have to wait until their next hospital appointment to get answers or have to travel across the city to get support.

"That's why we have worked with Glasgow Life to put a Macmillan service in almost every library in the city.

"This project will allow everyone with cancer or their friends and families to access the support and information they need on their doorstep, something we know is very important to people at a very difficult time."

Glasgow Life, which runs libraries and museums, said it hopes the scheme will help turn libraries into community hubs for local people.

The scheme will see support and information provided by a highly-trained volunteers in 25 libraries, overseen by a Macmillan Service Delivery Manager.

As well as specialist cancer information and emotional support, the service can refer people onto other Glasgow-based Macmillan services, including benefits advice, a vocational rehabilitation service and a financial guidance project.

Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life, added: "I am very proud of the role that Glasgow Libraries has played in developing the information and support that people living with cancer will now be able to access in every community in the city."

The Glasgow-wide service was launched at Glasgow's Mitchell Library by new Health Secretary Alex Neil.

He said: "Being diagnosed with cancer is a difficult and distressing time and that is why we need to make sure that patients and their families have the support and help they need."

HE continued: "It's important that this information is easy to access when people might be at their most vulnerable and this new service means people can get the practical and emotional support they need so they can concentrate on getting better."

The Macmillan support and information centres are currently open in Pollok, Dennistoun, Easterhouse, Langside and the city's flagship Mitchell Library.

The rest of the centres will open over the next year. The new way of delivering cancer support is based on the award-winning Macmillan information service in Easterhouse Library, which was launched in April 2009 in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Cancer Support Scotland is also helping with the service, offering counselling and complementary therapies in some libraries.

Colin Graham, chief executive, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and Glasgow Life in this project.

"Cancer Support Scotland's role is to complement the great work done by Macmillan by offering the services it doesn't such as one-to-one talking therapy and a range of complementary therapies."

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde chairman, Andrew Robertson, added: "We are delighted that a service we developed in Easterhouse library is now being rolled out across the city.

"It is important that people with cancer are able to access information and support in a way that is the easiest and most convenient for them.

"It makes life easier for people facing cancer and their families which is so important at this often stressful and difficult time."

catriona.stewart@ eveningtimes.co.uk

Grandfather Tommy Nugent has been involved with the service since it opened.

The 69-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April 2009 and on a visit to his doctor saw a poster for the Macmillan service and went along.

Tommy, from Shettleston, said: "When you are first diagnosed with cancer you are numb and don't know what to do.

"Finding the Macmillan project in my local library helped me tremendously.

"It was a place where I could go and just talk about how I was feeling and get information when I needed it.

"The fact I could walk to it was great, it didn't cost any money or take a long time to get there.

"The more local support there is for people with cancer the better."