Help raise £25,000 and give the gift of care this Christmas!

We are hoping to perform something of a Christmas miracle and raise £25,000 which could fund our Inpatient Unit for five days this Christmas to support more people like Owen, Laura and Luna.

The Myton Hospices - Light up A Life 2023 - Owen, Laura and Luna CROP-min

Why your support is so important…

The Myton Hospices - Light up A Life 2023 - Owen, Laura and Luna CROP-min

Laura and Owen’s life was turned upside down in March 2020. Not only were they experiencing Covid-19 and the national lockdown, but Owen had just been diagnosed with bowel cancer that had spread to his liver. To add to the rollercoaster they were already on, the couple found out they were pregnant two weeks later.

Laura said:

Our lovely Luna was born on 18th December 2020. Throughout my pregnancy, Owen underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a liver resection and then more chemotherapy. When Luna was only two weeks old, Owen had an emergency stoma surgery. A time that should’ve been the most magical with a new-born was ripped from us. Owen then went through clinical trials and we decided to go abroad for holistic treatment.

A light during this time was our proposal. Owen proposed to me just hours after Luna was born and we married on 17th May 2021, whilst he was in the middle of his clinical trial.

Owen was receiving palliative care from September 2021 and was admitted to Warwick Myton Hospice on 7th December.

Laura added:

At this time, we thought we would only be at Myton for a couple of days. But thankfully we managed to celebrate Luna’s first birthday as a family, Owen didn’t wake up from the 22nd, and then he died on the 27th. He had just turned 40.

The whole thing was awful. We expected each new day to be the last. At this time of year, especially for our family with Luna’s birthday, it should be a time of celebration, fun and laughter surrounded by everyone you love, yet we were dealing with every family’s worst nightmare.

But Myton made everything a little bit more manageable. They were amazing, reassuring me that they were here for me and Luna as much as they were for Owen.

Due to Covid, families couldn’t stay in our relatives accommodation, but Laura and Luna were able to use one of the flats as a base for feeding and naps during their visits. Friends and family were able to stay with Laura to help care for Luna.

Having that space to care for my child whilst still being so near to Owen was invaluable. With the help of friends and family, it meant so much to me that I could be present with Owen when he was awake and not be preoccupied with sorting Luna. Even the little things, like bringing our dog to see Owen meant the world to us. Our cocker spaniel, Bodhi, visiting was so lovely for us all.

Spending the Christmas period at Myton was hard for Laura.

Laura said:

Myton reminded us it was Christmas time. Whilst we were there, we were so caught up with making the most of our final days with Owen that it didn’t really feel like Christmas. Myton’s Santa Sleigh was at the hospice one day so I took Luna to meet Santa Claus which was so lovely. Seeing her face light up at the sight of him was amazing. Looking back, it was important to celebrate our last Christmas with Owen.

Laura looks back at her time at Myton with both happy and sad memories:

Having Myton’s support at the worst time of our lives was a blessing. If it wasn’t for Myton, Owen would’ve been in hospital, meaning I couldn’t have seen him. Myton gave me that time with him and I can’t repay them for that. We were able to be a family and I can’t put into words how important that is to me.

From the doctors to the nurses, and the volunteers, everyone was amazing. They made sure Owen was comfortable and not in any pain. He deteriorated rather quickly so knowing he was comfortable reassured me. They really looked after us.

Christmas is meant to be the time for celebration, but for us it will always be about remembering my husband and Luna’s dad.

With your support this Christmas, you can help more people like Owen, Laura and Luna when they need us most, now and in the future.

Any donation, big or small, will make a huge difference.

We can’t thank you enough for your support and hope that with the generosity of our local community we can get through this and continue to provide our vital services to the people of Coventry and Warwickshire.

How much of your donation is spent on patient care

%
spent directly on patient care

From everyone at The Myton Hospices, thank you all so much for your support in this extremely difficult time!

The Myton Hospices - Nurses - Thank you

Find out more about the difference your support makes…