Today is World Cancer Day. At The Myton Hospices we provide care and support for people with a variety of terminal and life limiting illnesses, including those who have been told their cancer is not curable.

 

Colin, who is a patient at Warwick Myton Day Hospice, has shared his experience of Myton and the support our teams have given him after being diagnosed with bone cancer:

 

When, in the summer of 2018...

I saw the look on my GP’s face I knew immediately that I had cancer for the third time.

 

It was bone cancer and I was told it...

can make the bone brittle, so the first job was to strengthen the leg by the insertion of a metal rod through the central core that contains bone marrow. It was soon followed by a course of immunotherapy drugs and a 5-day course of radiotherapy. I was pleased to learn that the drug was a derivative of the one I had trialled some 10 years earlier, so my work had not been in vain!

 

Before the radiotherapy course...

was over I was in so much unexplained pain that I could not move. Late that night I was taken into hospital. A Macmillan nurse suggested a new pain relief regime and referred me to Warwick Myton Day Hospice. That is when things started changing; over the next few days the pain was noticeably easing.

 

World Cancer Day - The Myton Hospices - Hospice - Inpatient unit

 

As I shuffled on my walking frame...

into Myton for my trial visit I found myself in tears, which many, I hope, will understand. Then a supportive arm came around my shoulders and suddenly I felt that others knew my frustrations and understood my emotions.

 

Through my weekly visits I feel the Myton arm around my shoulders even more strongly than I did that first day. They’ve been helping out me both physically and emotionally and all with a sense of fun and humour. I talk about ‘the nurse I had a bath with’ each week when I was unable to climb the stairs at home so washed at the kitchen sink. I’m receiving complementary therapies which have been relaxing and removed stress. I’m enjoying the camaraderie of joining in games, exercises and activities with others enduring differing illnesses and disabilities to me.

 

The only physiotherapy offered...

to me since my operation has been by the staff at Myton. They’ve encouraged and monitored me walking up and down stairs and supplied equipment which allows me to have showers at home. (No more bathing with the nurses!) And at home I am now able to do most things myself.

 

Thank you, Myton, for that support. It really has meant a lot to me!

 

You can find out more about our services here