The Myton Hospices - People's Stories

In December 2015...

Joe Broad was diagnosed with HER2-positive Breast Cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease. Just two weeks later Joe and her husband Dean were told that body scans showed the cancer was in her bones. The couple and their two young sons, Zac and Olly now 14 and ten, were faced with the devastating news that remission from cancer was not going to happen.

Joe had Chemotherapy and then a Mastectomy and for four years after that attended the Arden Centre in Coventry for treatment every 3 weeks, beating off infections in her arm and another in her lung that amazed the team looking after her.

By July 2019 they discovered that the cancer had now moved to Joe’s brain, she had more treatment including whole brain radiotherapy and the side effects became worse than ever.

The Myton Hospices - Joe Broad - Patient Story - Warwickshire - Coventry - Leamington Spa - Rugby - Warwick - Myton Hospice

Dean describes how Joe continued to fight but the pain she was now in on a daily basis was too much to watch, let alone suffer. In May 2020, two weeks after their 15^th wedding anniversary, Joe died aged just 46.

Dean said:

In May 2020 my gorgeous wife finally became free of pain, reunited with her dad and sister. Throughout this Joe has been the best mum, wife, daughter and friend to many. Joe fought a fight any warrior would be proud of.

Prior to her death Joe spent two weeks at Coventry Myton Hospice for pain management and symptom control, before being discharged home.

During this time Dean was able to have some much needed respite from caring for his wife whilst working full time and raising their two sons. As well as nursing and medical care, Joe received Complementary Therapy to help her relax and was pampered by the staff at the hospice which made a real difference to how she felt. Joe’s friends and children were able to visit her, and both Joe and Dean had counselling support from the team at Myton. Since his mum died ten year old Olly has been accessing the children’s bereavement service at Myton.

8 years before Joe came to Myton...

her dad had been admitted to Warwick Myton Hospice for respite and pain management and Dean recalls the family being surprised by what a positive place the hospice was, with beautiful grounds and as it was Easter their young children were given Easter Eggs.

When Joe came to Myton they knew what to expect and that the whole family would be supported.

Joe bravely fought for five years and the last 18 months were especially difficult for the whole family. At the start of 2020 Dean set himself a challenge to cycle 20km each day and despite everything the family were going through he only missed 7 days throughout the whole of 2020!

In September 2020 the children were going back to school for the first time since their mum’s death and Dean took some time to reflect; he upped his target to 40km every day for 122 days!

Dean smashed his goal, even cycling on Christmas Day, and has lost over three stone, but most importantly kept his mind in shape. With donations in memory of Joe, in lieu of flowers and sponsorship for his cycling Dean, his friends and family have raised over £4,200 for Myton!

When asking people for sponsorship Dean says...

The Myton Hospices were alongside Joe all the way, they supported us in the darkest of times, and still are today.

Dean has continued his cycling and you can still donate to his fundraising total by clicking here.

We are blown away by Dean’s efforts and...

can’t thank him enough. We hope that you’re feeling inspired to take on your own challenge to help raise vital funds for Myton, so we can support more people like Joe and her family, now and in the future.