Laura Myatt’s mum, Sharon, had pancreatic cancer and found that it had spread to her lungs and her brain. She was referred to LOROS Day Therapy by her GP. Here's Sharon's story, told by Laura about her lovely mum.
“My mum was due to start coming to Day Therapy in 2020, during the pandemic. She did join a few online sessions but it was coming into the Hospice for the sessions which she really enjoyed.
"Initially she was reluctant. Like her, I thought LOROS was like a hospital, and she didn’t want to go. I said, ‘Just see how you get on’, and we agreed she would give it a try.
Immediately Mum could see how she could just be herself at Day Therapy. Nobody minded that she walked really slowly. She could talk about her diagnosis. It was so relaxed and supportive.
"She really loved the craft sessions. Making cards, gluing glitter, I think she found it really enjoyable. She said she was terrible at it but had a lot of fun.
"Another thing my Mum loved was everyone eating lunch together. A lovely sit down meal, sometimes with a little glass of sherry or a beer too. It made everyone feel like a family, it was so sociable.
"She also had a great time with the volunteer drivers. They would come and fetch her to Day Therapy, and she’d sit there and tell them where to go. She was a terrible back seat driver since she had to give in her driver’s licence, but they didn’t seem to mind at all! She must have been the worst passenger ever!
"We are a big family and Mum was living with my three sisters, the youngest of whom is 12, so it was hard for her to make time for herself. Even just shortly before she died I found her mopping the floor. She was always busy, caring for other people.
"Mum found coming to LOROS a break for us too. She felt like it gave us a day off as she was always worried about us kids. Day Therapy gave her that space and time she needed to just be herself. We are all so grateful for the hard work, care and compassion of the nurses and healthcare assistants.
"Thanks for being a place of help for her."
On Saturday 28th May, hundreds of LOROS supporters will walk together in memory of loved ones and to raise funds for their local Hospice in our annual Twilight Walk. Last year, our Twilight Walkers collectively walked over 53,000 miles and raised almost £50,000 for LOROS. This incredible achievement means that we can continue to be there when it matters most.
Take on 10km in our Royal Parade themed Twilight Walk and make a difference: loros.co.uk/twilight
