Much loved ‘nan’ remembered by granddaughter who swam 10 miles to raise money for hospital fund

Fundraising swimmer Corinne West has completed 10 miles in a bid to raise money for a hospital charity campaign to thank staff for the love and care they provided for her much loved grandmother.

The 33-year-old, who lives in Thetford, completed the distance at Thetford Leisure Centre and open water swimming at a nearby lake.

And she has more than doubled her target of reaching £100 by raising a total of £235 for the My WiSH Charity’s Butterfly Fund.

The fund is aimed at raising £340,000 in order to build a dedicated indoor space within a garden so patients can be with their loved ones as they prepare to say goodbye.

Corinne’s grandmother Flo West, who lived with her 87-year-old husband Roy, in Brandon, died in June after being cared for by the palliative care team at the hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

She suffered from dementia during her later years and was a treasured relative of her granddaughter.

Corinne said: “My nan was a huge part of my life and I wanted to do something to celebrate her life and my memories with her.

“She was actually the one who taught me and my sister, Claire Slattery, to swim. I remember being on holiday in the New Forest when I was about four and nan was determined that she was going to teach me to swim, more so as she could never swim herself.”

She said when her 88-year-old grandmother died she wanted to do something in a way of thanking the hospital staff.

Corinne said her grandmother was an amazing lady and she lived in London and Spain before moving to Suffolk. She even spent her 80th birthday in Thailand and along with Roy they loved to travel.

“In her last days nan was taken care of by the palliative care team at West Suffolk Hospital and they treated her with such love and dignity and allowed the family to be there to say goodbye,” said Corinne.

“It was just a small thing that I did to say thank you to the hospital who made her so comfortable and they made it so peaceful and dignified.

“She always said to us ‘Do what you want when you want and how you want’ and she was a feisty character and her and Roy were always here there and everywhere.”

Corinne, who works at Center Parcs as the resource and planning manager, said how she swam two-and-a-half miles a week

During Flo’s stay at the West Suffolk on the G8 ward, she was given a bear and a blanket from the palliative care team and Roy was able to sleep beside her in one of the chair beds My WiSH purchased. He also had a comfort pack so water, tissues, wipes, toothbrush and paste etc to make sure he was comfortable. And he still has the blanket and bear.

Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, said “It was a pleasure to meet Corinne and Roy and hear all about Flo, she was an amazing lady. Being able to support families is so important to us as a charity and it’s wonderful to hear that it made a big difference to them all at such a difficult time.”

 

Main photo: Roy West with his grandaughter, Corinne West presenting a cheque to My WiSH Charity

Written by Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity