Charlotte’s husband, Jamie, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2022 and received support from our Myton at Home service.
Reflecting on their experience, Charlotte said:
Being at home, just the two of us, was Jamie’s last wish, and I made it my mission to ensure that happened. This was only possible thanks to the amazing support from the community teams, including Myton. As Jamie’s sole carer, the visits from Myton offered a chance for a breather, with the team coming in with a smile, laughter and kindness.
Their visits started once a day and increased as Jamie’s needs changed. Without their professional and emotional support, it would have been an incredibly difficult time for us both, and it meant the world to us to be able to stay in our home and for Jamie to die with dignity.
Jamie died in June 2023 aged 46, after receiving Myton at Home visits for one month. After Jamie’s death, Charlotte started running more regularly as a way to cope with her loss.
She then started her fundraising journey for Myton with the Leamington Spa Half Marathon in June. After loving the experience of her first half marathon, she soon signed up to The Great North Run in September.
Charlotte said:
I really enjoyed taking part in these races – it was my first time and the atmosphere was incredible. The crowd’s energy kept me going from start to finish. Training was a bit lonelier, but I had friends join me on my long training walks, which made it more enjoyable.
What makes Charlotte’s accomplishments even more remarkable is that she completed these challenges despite being in a serious motorbike accident four years ago.
She explained:
In the accident, I broke my lumbar spine and pelvis, so managing pain whilst running has been tricky. Some days are more painful than others, so it’s been about finding the right balance and knowing when to step back in order to progress. But the reward of finishing these challenges is worth it.
From 4th to 7th November, Charlotte took part in the Marathon des Sables in Jordan, a 4-day self-supported race in the Wadi Rum desert. With a distance of 120km, Charlotte carried all the items she needed throughout the marathon, including food, sleeping gear and cooking equipment.
Charlotte commented:
A year ago, I stumbled upon this challenge to give myself something to focus on and look forward to. I laid out a plan involving running, walking with a weighted backpack, and strength training.
Over the summer, I went to the Alps on a multi-day hiking trip to test my backpack and gear I’ll be using in Jordan. It gave me the opportunity to make adjustments, try out the dehydrated food, and figure out where I’m most likely going to get blisters!
Back home, I visited the sauna two to three times a week to get used to the heat for a long period of time, and saw my chiropractor, making sure I was staying in one piece and minimising the pain.
I am so pleased to have completed such an incredibly challenging race in breath-taking landscapes. It felt like being in a different world for the week, cut off from the rest of the world, but somehow closer to Jamie. It’s been a long time coming and I can’t believe it happened.
So far, Charlotte has raised an amazing £6,301 through her efforts.
You can find out more about her fundraising here!
Charlotte continued:
Before our experience with palliative and end of life care, I didn’t know what a hospice was like – I didn’t like the word and what it meant. To me, a hospice was just a place where people were left to die, but I was so wrong. Going through the heartbreak of losing Jamie, I wanted to turn that pain into something positive and help others. Alongside my fundraising, I also volunteer on the Inpatient Unit at Warwick Myton Hospice to give something back, but it’s also so rewarding.
Everyone at The Myton Hospices would like to say a big thank you to Charlotte for all her wonderful support. We think she is amazing for fundraising and volunteering at Myton – we can’t thank her enough!
We have recently launched our Urgent Appeal to raise £240,000 to fund the recruitment, training and salary of five registered nurses for a year to allow more people to access a Hospice Bed at Myton when they need it.
The support from people in our community, like Charlotte, is crucial in ensuring we can be there for more people living with a life-limiting illness and their families in Coventry and Warwickshire. Thank you!
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