Christmas is a time for laughter, love and making memories with those who matter most. At Myton, that’s no different. In fact, it’s often even more meaningful, as families share what may be their last Christmas together.
Each year our amazing corporate supporters humble us with their generosity, creativity and commitment. The funds they raise help ensure we can continue providing our care free of charge to patients and their loved ones at this very special time of year.
This Christmas, the only thing on our Wish List is to raise as much as we can to fund that care for people and families just like Milly’s…
“I don’t know how long I have left, so why not?”
When Milly came to Coventry Myton Hospice, she didn’t just find care, she found peace, understanding, and a team who truly listened to what mattered most.
At just 37, Milly was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer.
Her only symptom had been agonising pain, but tests revealed the cancer had already spread. When it became clear that further treatment was unlikely to help, Milly made the brave decision to focus on quality of life – and on making special memories with her daughters, Jasmine and Jada.
One of her final wishes was to get her first tattoo – a tribute to her girls.
It was something she had always dreamed of, but never quite settled on a design… and had been worried about what her mum would say!
But with her daughters in mind, the meaning became clear. With support from our nurse Lauren and a kind-hearted tattoo artist (also called Lauren), Milly’s vision came to life.
The tattoo featured jasmine and rose flowers, the girls’ names and birthdates, and a tiny bee she named ‘Lauren’ – in honour of both women who helped make her wish come true
“I started crying when I first saw it. It wasn’t what I imagined but it was exactly what I wanted.”
Milly also created memory boxes for her daughters with the help of our Activities Coordinator – filled with photos, a part of the tattoo stencil, and messages of love, so Jasmine and Jada would always carry a piece of her with them.
Milly died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.
As part of our wider festive campaign, we’re inviting our loyal corporate supporters to ‘Give the Gift of Hospice Care’ this Christmas by hosting your own Festive Fundraising events.
Whether it’s a Christmas Jumper Day, Bake Sale, Giant Office Christmas Card, Christmas Quiz, or anything else that spreads some cheer whilst supporting your local hospice – your efforts will help make a real difference to people across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Here’s how your support could make a real difference this festive season:
Just £60 would cover the cost of two hours’ specialist nursing care this Christmas, £120 will fund a Myton at Home nurse to visit a patient at home over Christmas, £158 will fund two children’s bereavement counselling sessions to help a young person facing their first Christmas without a loved one, and £450 will fund an inpatient bed for one day for someone who is too ill to spend Christmas at home.
For more details on how to get involved and if you need any support from our team, please complete the short form below, email corporate@mytonhospice.org or call 01926 358387.