Trees of Light will shine to help Myton Hospices care for patients

Avril’s treatment for pancreatic cancer had taken its toll on her confidence and she did not want to socialise or go out.

After talking to her Macmillan nurse one day, Avril was referred to our Warwick Day Hospice and went along to see if she would like it.

The pensioner was very close to her daughter Jackie and granddaughter Tasha, often referring to the three of them as the A-Team

Jackie said: “Mum loved day hospice. She was able to have her hair done and they helped her sort out a hair piece which gave her back her confidence to go out.

My mum was a very private lady who kept herself to herself. She didn’t talk about how she was feeling about what was happening to her and I never saw her cry so I think it helped her to be at Myton with people in the same position and talk to people there about how she was feeling.

“I will always remember us going to the summer fete as a family and mum being very proud and introducing us to the nurses and her new friends. “

“She loved it and there was one nurse called Michelle who she idolised.

“It was great for us to have that support too and I was able to talk to Michelle who would let me know how mum had been and whether she had eaten or not. It really helped me as mum often wouldn’t always tell me if she had a hard day.”

Avril died in October 2014 aged 77 and since then Jackie has been doing all she can to support Myton including marshalling, collecting money for its lottery and sharing her story with potential supporters and donors to increase awareness.

Donations can be made to the Trees of Light campaign using the brochures available at locations and stores around the towns, the form published each week in the Courier and online at www.justgiving.com/treeoflight2015