Terry Hicky’s brother-in-law, Tom Brooks, was admitted to our Coventry Myton Hospice Inpatient Unit in October 2023. Tom had kidney failure and severe dementia and was transferred from hospital to Myton as his body couldn’t cope. The decision was made to switch off Tom’s dialysis and the family wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.
Terry said:
Ever since my sister and Tom got married, we’ve been very close. To see everything the nurses did and the amazing care they gave to him in his final days meant so much to us as a family
We had a few incidences at hospitals and care homes, not being fully in control of his situation, but Myton was different. They paid attention to the little things, shaving him and keeping him tidy and clean. He was just so peaceful and we were blown away with how he was treated. He got his dignity back.
Tom died on 2nd November 2023, aged 85 years old. Terry immediately wanted to fundraise for Myton and as a keen walker, he decided to walk 85 miles, one mile for each year Tom lived.
Terry explained:
Whilst we were there, I was made aware of how much Myton has to raise each year to provide their services and we couldn’t believe just how much it is. We were all so grateful for the care and support Tom was given that we knew we had to give something back.
I’m not going to lie, it was definitely an ‘in the moment’ decision, but as a walker myself, I knew it was a challenge I could complete! I’m no stranger to long distance walking as I have been known to do 40 – 50 miles a day competitively!
Terry took two weeks to walk the 85 miles with two or three walks a day. He would venture out after his breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner and walk through his village in Somerset to get to a collection of lakes. After a meander around the lakes, Terry would head home.
Terry added:
When walking in the cold, wet and many times dark, I felt that Tom was walking alongside me. I would talk to him and this spurred me on to complete the challenge
It was easier at the beginning as you can almost forget about the target. But as you get further into the distance, it feels a lot longer. There’s a song called ‘The longest mile is the last mile home’ and I fully understand it now!
I ended the 85 miles at the café in my village, dressed in my Myton t-shirt and in my walking gear. My wife and two friends were there to meet me and surprised me with a round of applause from everyone in the café. It was a little emotional but completely worth it!
Terry has raised an incredible £1,000 with his challenge which is a true testament to him and his brother-in-law, Tom. Everyone at Myton is incredibly grateful to Terry for all his wonderful support!
If you would like to set yourself a fundraising challenge, you can find out more here!
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