THE MYTON Hospices is celebrating its 40th birthday and donations are needed more than ever.
Warwick Myton Hospice opened its doors in September 1982 and since then Myton has cared for over 20,000 people across Coventry and Warwickshire. They have the only Hospice Inpatient Units in the region, as well as a range of outpatient and community services.
The number of patients and families they have supported has continued to grow over the years, as have the range of services that they offer.
Four decades on, Myton continues to provide the very best in palliative and end of life care for people living with terminal illnesses, and their families across the area.
And it would like to thank all its supporters for helping to ensure they continue to provide their vital services free of charge, now and in the future.
Key milestones of the last 40 years include:
1982 – Myton Hamlet Hospice opens its doors to its first patients and was officially opened by Princess Michael of Kent
1986 – Princess Diana visits the hospice and is shown around by Dr Henderson, one of the first doctors to work at Myton 2002 – Rugby Myton Hospice, on the grounds of St Cross Hospital, is opened by Ann Duchess of Norfolk OBE
2009 – Coventry Myton Hospice opens its doors to its first patients after raising £7 million to fund the new facility
2014 – Warwick and Leamington MP Chris White officially opened the relative’s accommodation at Warwick Myton Hospice
2017 – The new Coffee Shop at Coventry Myton Hospice was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Lindsley Harvard and is run by volunteers
2020 – The Covid-19 pandemic saw Myton work with the NHS to temporarily hand over Warwick Myton Hospice to South Warwickshire Foundation Trust and offer a number of services remotely
2022 – Rugby Myton Support Hub opened to offer support to anyone aged 18 years and over who is living with or caring for someone with a life limiting illness
As Myton looks to the future it wants to ensure that everyone who needs its services is able to access them and it wants to reach out to people earlier in their illness, to be alongside them from diagnosis to death.
CEO Ruth Freeman said: “Myton is not only about end of life care, often people who have a terminal illness have a lot of living left to do and we want to support them to have the best possible quality of life, for as long as possible. When the time comes we believe people have the right to a good, natural death, either in one of our inpatient beds or in their own home, with their loved ones supported.
“Less than 20 per cent of our funding comes from the NHS and this year alone we need to raise £9.1 million. To achieve this we rely on your generosity and we hope you don’t mind us asking for your ongoing support.
“We would like to invite you to join our special friends and supporter’s scheme called ‘My Myton’ and give £5 or £10 per month. When you join you will receive a red Myton hanging butterfly, a special thank you card and a quarterly newsletter by email.”
To find out more visit www.mytonhospice.org/mymyton
