This will help ensure The Myton Hospices can continue to provide its services free of charge to people with a terminal or life limiting illness, and their families, when they need us most.

This year we have to raise £7.8 million of the £10.5 million we need, we cant do it without support from people like you.

The money raised will enable Myton to help more people like Ben and his family:

For Ben Knight and his family, being able to be together at home during his final weeks was as Ben himself said; just another happy period of my life. For Bens family, the time was unbelievably precious.

Ben had been diagnosed with Kidney cancer in early 2018, while tumours were also found on his lungs and liver.

Eighteen months of treatment helped to reduce some of the tumours. but, in spring 2020 a scan showed the cancer in his kidney was growing again.

He tried another treatment, but was advised to discontinue this after his health began to deteriorate rapidly. As his condition worsened, he suffered several bad falls and was consequently referred to local District Nurses.

His wife Cynthia said:

Ben grew up in Londons East End and was an avid West Ham fan (when things were going well!)

He went on to study Economics at Manchester University and later lectured the next generation of economists at the University of Warwick.

He was described by countless students and colleagues past and present as a brilliant teacher and wonderful human being when a tribute page was set up for him by his family and colleagues at Warwick Business School.

While having Ben at home meant the family could be together, it could also feel frightening and overwhelming for Cynthia and her daughters, as well as Ben himself.

Cynthia said:

Cynthia also described how the ongoing partnership that developed in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic between the District Nurses and the Myton at Home team was invaluable and ensured continuity of care and the most dignified end-of-life experience that Ben and the family could have hoped for.

Being an economist, Ben was always interested in the cost versus return value of services, and the Myton at Home care for Ben equated to a total cost of £5,115.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, even more people are choosing to spend their final days at home with loved ones and at Myton we are continuing to do our very best to make this possible.

To reach our target of £35,000 we rely entirely on you raising sponsorship. Have a look at the difference the money you raise will make:

£50 covers the cost of two hours specialist nursing care

£175 is the upkeep cost of our relatives accommodation for a week

£460 will fund an inpatient bed for one day

£2,000 would buy a patient specific recliner chair to enable patients to spend time out of bed