In 2017, Valerie Pafitis was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was admitted to our Coventry Myton Hospice on 3rd May 2017 for palliative care. Her grandson, Andy Matthews, commented:
Myton provided a special environment, that kept her comfortable and pain free, in a peaceful setting whilst also treating her with the utmost care and compassion.
Being the absolute fighter she was, she always outlived the life expectancy prognoses she was given. My Gran was iron-willed and as courageous as they came.
Valerie died peacefully on 25th May 2017 after three weeks at Myton, aged 84, surrounded by her closest family members. Andy continued:
As a family, we cannot speak highly enough of the wonderful care she received during her time at Myton. From the staff to the facilities they provided, Myton gave her and us as a family everything we needed during difficult times.
Throughout Andy’s lifetime, giving back to charity was always something Valerie practised and encouraged him to do. Inspired by his Gran’s generosity, Andy set himself an almighty challenge in her memory – raising £2,500 with his ‘Five for Myton’ challenge. Andy said:
This challenge is to not only thank everyone at Myton for all they did for my family, but also so other families can benefit from Myton’s support in the future.
Andy set himself five challenges to complete within one year whilst aiming to raise as much money as possible for Myton. Sports, outdoor adventure and keeping fit are key interests for Andy, so he set himself challenges that fit perfectly with his hobbies.
Starting his year long fundraising journey, Andy completed the Coventry Half Marathon in October 2023. He said:
I really enjoy running, and with Gran being cared for at Coventry Myton Hospice, running the Coventry Half Marathon felt like the best place to start!
Eight months later in June 2024, Andy completed the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø, Norway. Discovering this challenge after finding out he wasn’t successful in the ballot for the London Marathon, Andy knew he wanted his first full marathon experience to be a memorable one.
I did a search for the top 10 marathon experiences in the world and came across the Tromsø Midnight Sun Marathon. Tromsø is located 350km north of the Artic Circle, with most of the city situated on a small island surrounded by sea and beautiful mountains.
During the summer, the sun never sets below the horizon. Running under the midnight sun instantly appealed to me and it felt like a bucket list opportunity I couldn’t turn down!
Andy enlisted the help of three friends to complete his third challenge – climbing the UK’s three highest peaks.
I have always loved the great outdoors, and with my first two challenges being very self-focused and individual events, I wanted to set a challenge where I could involve friends and family. Climbing the UK’s three highest peaks has always been something I wanted to do and I managed to persuade three good friends to get involved and we set off on our adventure in August.
It was a great experience – a lot harder than I thought it would be – and to share it with friends made it all the more rewarding!
Challenge number 4 in Andy’s fundraising journey was a personal one for him and his family. In September 2024, Andy completed the Zambezi River Challenge, paddling 100km down the Zambezi River in Livingston, Zambia. Originally born in Manchester, Valerie moved to Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, in the 1960s. Growing up in Zimbabwe himself, Andy and his family moved to the UK in 2000 to start a new life.
Andy added:
The Zambezi River Challenge just made sense for so many reasons. It gave me the opportunity to visit Zambia, a country where my Gran spent many years of her life. It involved Kayaking – I completed my Kayaking certifications through an Employment Learning Scheme through work.
It also gave me an opportunity to put my feet back on Zimbabwean soil as I flew into Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe and from there, I crossed the border into Zambia. I hadn’t returned to the country of my birth since leaving as a young boy 24 years ago!
Andy commented on his amazing experience:
It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime. It reconnected me to my roots, and I know my Gran would have vouched for me to take up this challenge too, which made it all the more meaningful.
Andy finished his Five for Myton challenge with the Leicester Half Marathon in October 2024.
I started my fundraising campaign by running a half marathon. To finish it by running another half marathon felt right!
Throughout his fundraising year, Andy raised an incredible £2,610!
Reflecting back on all the challenges, Andy said:
All of these events had their own unique challenges. The 20 weeks of training towards my first full marathon was probably the most gruelling part, along with the marathon itself. But my trip to Zambia brought so much happiness, enjoyment and meaningful moments.
Giving back and trying to make a positive difference by fundraising for The Myton Hospices has been so rewarding. In a time of need, Myton gave my Gran exceptional support and care.
They manage to ease the heartache and emotional burden so many families in our local community experience when they are faced with the difficult reality of a terminal diagnosis. I hope this donation will help the exceptional care and services Myton continue to provide in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick.
Everyone at Myton is blown away by Andy’s commitment and dedication towards fundraising for Myton. We recently launched our Urgent Appeal to raise £240,000 to fund the recruitment, training and salary of five Registered Nurses for a year to ensure more people, like Valerie, can access a Hospice Bed when they need it.
The support of people within our community, such as Andy and everyone who contributed to his fundraising, is vital in our mission to support more people and their families in Coventry and Warwickshire living with life-limiting illnesses. Thank you Andy!
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