Rani began volunteering at our Warwick Myton Hospice Inpatient Unit three years ago and has loved it since her very first day. She said:
It’s such a blessing and a privilege to volunteer at Myton. I love everyone I work alongside and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be there for patients and their loved ones, even if it’s just for a short amount of time. Making a difference to Myton’s patients means so much to me. Everyone who works and volunteers at Myton is amazing – they’re extremely skilled, both professionally and personally. Lovely people, and hardworking experts in their field. It’s inspiring to be part of that team.
Rani decided to sign up for the skydive after seeing Myton’s Volunteer Coordinator, Faith Costley, take on the challenge last year.
I sponsored Faith’s skydive and it got me thinking that it’s something I’d like to do. I believe in living life to the full, so why not? If I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it. I mentioned it to Leila and she wanted to join me!
Leila added:
Hearing about mum’s time volunteering at Myton, I know how much it means to her – she talks about it all the time. If mum believes in Myton this much and wants to support them, then I know it’s a worthy cause. We decided to do the skydive together and club together to hopefully raise even more money.
As a family, we all support different charities, but Myton is such a loved organisation. You don’t realise people’s connection to the charity until you start talking about it. Even though Myton works in a really difficult area, people support it because everyone here is kind, loving and caring, and there is such a strong sense of community.
So far, Rani and Leila have raised an incredible £2,431 for Myton.
Rani added:
Everyone who has supported us so far has made us feel so loved. We’ve received donations from people we didn’t expect, which has allowed us to connect and reconnect with so many people. We’ve even had donations from loved ones in Canada and Australia, so we’re taking this international!
Leila said the challenge has also inspired others to support the hospice.
We have friends who may not want to jump out of a plane to fundraise, but since talking to them about why we’re supporting Myton, they’ve been encouraged to start their own fundraising for the hospice. Our neighbours have been inspired to raise money too, so it’s had a real ripple effect.
Talking about experiencing the skydive together, Rani said:
We’re so excited. I almost wish we had done it sooner.
Leila added:
Mum is a lot calmer about it than me! It’s still nerve-wracking and a little fear-inducing, but knowing we’re doing it together makes it worthwhile. I think when we’re up in the sky and about to take the big jump, it will give us a whole new perspective on life.
I think everyone who works at, volunteers for, or comes to Myton experiences a shift in perspective, so this feels like a really nice way to link the two together. Myton’s planning has also made the whole process so easy, which has helped us feel much calmer about what we’re about to do.
Natalie Walker, Events and Campaigns Manager at The Myton Hospices, said:
Rani and Leila are truly inspirational and we are incredibly grateful for their bravery in taking on our Skydive and for their amazing commitment to raising funds for Myton.
Challenges like this play a vital role in helping us continue providing our specialist care for patients and their families across Coventry and Warwickshire.
We rely heavily on the generosity and support of our community. Every person who takes on a challenge like this helps ensure we can continue being there for people when they need us most, now and in the future.
Did you know…? We are a charity, and receive only 17% of our funding from the NHS. Every year we have to raise over £12 million of the £15 million it costs to continue providing our services free of charge to our patients and their families.
We are the only hospice provider of specialist palliative and end of life care in Coventry and Warwickshire and rely on our community to ensure people can access the care they need and deserve.
