On 16th December, my mum was admitted to MKUH with low oxygen levels. During this agonising time, myself and my two sisters couldn’t physically be with mum in hospital due to COVID restrictions and we waited at home desperately awaiting information from the staff caring for her. On Christmas Eve we were told her sats had gone down and to decide which one of us three would come into the hospital for an end of life visit. With my eldest sister living a two hour journey away, and myself isolating due to having COVID ourselves, this left my youngest sister Lisa being the one to represent the three of us on her visit to see mum. Lisa arrived at the hospital around 6pm Christmas Eve, and left around 6am Christmas Day when she was told to leave. Mum was still alive and fighting for her life. Lisa had told mum that she was getting better and that we wouldn’t celebrate Christmas until she was home, as mum was frightened of dying. We hope this gave her peace and helped her settle. In going to see mum, Lisa wore full PPE and FaceTimed myself and my older sister Marie, so we could speak to and see mum. We recorded the conversation, although none of us can bear to watch it yet. Lisa held mum’s hand, laid with her in the bed chatting and watching her favourite films. As Lisa was exposed to COVID, she had to isolate for ten days and so her children went to stay with their dad, and in doing so sacrificed her Christmas and New Year without them. We received the call that she had passed away at 1pm on Christmas Day with a nurse by her side. 

We feel so lost without our mum. Her passing has left the three of us grieving but forming a stronger bond than ever before. We support each other with phone calls and messages every day and send each other gifts. Nothing will ever fill the void mum left when she died. She left behind 7 grandchildren aged 9 - 17 years old who also miss her terribly. As mum’s death was due to COVID, and there were restrictions in place, we couldn’t come together as a family to be together in our times of grief. Losing someone is always awful, but losing someone in these times is horrendous. We gave her the best send off on 20th January 2021, with two white horses transporting her green glitter coffin to the crematorium. 

When I saw that Milton Keynes Hospital Charity needed one runner for the 5k rocket race on 2nd May 2021, I knew I needed to do it. I aim to raise a minimum of £100 to thank ward 18 for their care of mum, as well as give me something to focus on training for to help me in my time of grief. I’ve run 5k before, but not recently, so I’ll be taking my training seriously and I hope my family and friends will donate and share my fundraising page, but more importantly give me the support and motivation to get this done. I need you all more than ever to give me the strength I need to run on behalf of both of my sisters, and to do this in memory of a mum who loved us unconditionally forever. Thank you.