The Myton Hospices

At The Myton Hospices, we know that facing a life-limiting illness can be isolating – not just for patients, but for their families and loved ones too.

That’s why we are proud to have launched our Compassionate Neighbours Programme, a national initiative designed to reduce loneliness and provide emotional and social support through meaningful human connection.

Compassionate Neighbours volunteers provide companionship, friendship and regular contact to people in their local communities who may be feeling lonely or isolated due to illness or bereavement.

Support can take many forms, such as home visits, group meet-ups or attending community hubs – whatever works best for the individual. Each volunteer is trained to offer consistent, caring support, tailored to the needs of the person they are helping.

We are now welcoming referrals for this invaluable new service. People can self-refer, or healthcare professionals can refer patients who may benefit from extra companionship and social contact.

Our aim is to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to connect with a trained volunteer and enjoy the comfort of regular companionship.

We have already trained 14 volunteers to be Compassionate Neighbours and they are ready to support people across our local communities. Their dedication, compassion and commitment will ensure that people will receive meaningful human connection that can make a real difference to wellbeing.

Ruth Freeman, Chief Executive Officer at The Myton Hospices, said:

We are delighted to be the first hospice in the Midlands to join the network of Compassionate Neighbours. Further expanding our services in the community is an essential part of our strategy to extend our reach and ensure all those who need our support can access it, when and where they need it.

We know that social isolation can have a significant impact on a person’s wellbeing. Our Compassionate Neighbours volunteers will provide regular companionship, helping people maintain confidence, independence and a sense of belonging within their local community. We are excited to see our first team of volunteers ready to make a real difference across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Katie and Tom first met in February 2006 and welcomed their sons Percy and Cass in 2018 and 2020 respectively.

Katie first discovered a lump in early 2022 and was given her cervical cancer diagnosis in February 2022. With this quick diagnosis, Katie had to wait until May for her treatment to begin. Having undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Katie was told in September her cervix looked clear but a spot had appeared on her lung which was put it down to an infection. In January 2023, scans revealed that spot was cancerous and it had spread rapidly. The family were told the cancer was terminal and to start to prepare for the future.

Tom looked back at this time, acknowledging:

“We didn’t know the timeframe at this point but knew a hospice would be the best place for Katie when the time did come. Due to where we live, we had the option of Myton and another hospice. My dad died of cancer 12 years ago and was at another setting. It was a great experience for him and the family but it made me realise how important hospices are in those last few weeks or days of life. It has to just fit, and from different conversations, I knew a bed at Myton would be the best fit for us.”

Katie arrived at our Warwick Myton Hospice in April 2023. Tom continued:

“It’s very difficult to put into words but our experience was unbelievable. The consistency of the care and how well both Katie and our family were treated was impressive. Of course the excellent care we received is the main factor of hospice care, but the little things meant so much more to us. It felt like nothing was too hard or inconvenient. We had takeaway nights, parties and friends and family were surrounding us constantly. We never felt like we had to ask for anything, it was almost encouraged for us to do these things as nothing was too difficult.

“It was an absolutely beautiful place to be. With every room having access to the gorgeous garden, being able to roll Katie’s bed out there for some serenity had such an impact. We also had a supportive wheelchair for Katie to use and were encouraged to do anything we wanted. We took this literally and with Myton’s help, we were able to go to a local pub a couple of times as a big family. We also went for a walk at a nearby park and we even wheeled her down to watch Cass play football for the last time.

“Yes, the medical side was exceptional, but it’s these really little things that I will remember forever.”

Katie died on 17^th June 2023, aged just 37 years old.

At 5 years old, Percy has a visit from a counsellor at his school every three weeks. Tom explained a task Percy undertook as part of his counselling:

“Percy was asked to fill a jar with different coloured sand for all the special times and memories he has. He had a ‘mummy’ layer, a ‘camping’ layer and a ‘mummy hospice’ layer. I can’t express how much it means that our boys have such positive memories of that time. We always made a conscious effort to make our time there positive, by playing football in the garden or flying mummy around on her special wheelchair, we made it fun. I am so grateful that we were allowed to do that and nothing was an issue. It removed one more potential barrier for us to work through after Katie died.”

Tom, Cass and Percy are supporting The Butterfly Effect in memory of their beloved wife and mum. Tom emphasised the meaningfulness behind their support:

“In these situations, and the one we found ourselves in, nothing you can do can ever make it better and the best outcome is to never need Myton. But Myton truly is the best place to be for everyone and I can’t imagine anywhere else doing a better job. The incredible doctors, nurses, volunteers and everyone involved took some of the pressure out of the situation. For them, this is their day-to-day life - we only play a small part in their jobs. But to us, they underestimate the importance and significance they have on everyone who walks through the doors. The impact they had on me, my sons and the rest of our family is a legacy I’ll carry with me forever.

“That is why I am supporting The Myton Hospices Butterfly Effect. Katie’s whole attitude towards the end of her life was to give back as much as possible. And that is what I am doing.”