I have recently said my last goodbye to my Nannan. 

She was my nannan, but she was a wife, a mum, a great nannan, and so much more too.  She was 82 years old, but had never grown old at heart.   

I have had my last embrace, heard her final words and made some final lasting memories that I will treasure for my life time.   

Our last precious moments would not have been as comforting and personal in her last days if we had not been offered the use of the “Purple Butterfly Room” at Rotherham General Hospital.  

Upon reading a little more about the Purple Butterfly Rooms, I now understand that these rooms exist because of The Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity; because of donations, funeral collections, fund collections and kind hearted people making a decision to Leave a Legacy. There are currently 4 of these rooms available; they include 2 spacious room (that at times fitted 16 of my nannans nearest and dearests), a sofa bed (that was very comfortable!) a bathroom, kitchenette and medical staff on hand when needed.  

There are a number of different circumstances where patients would be offered the use of these rooms, including those who require end of life care and new parents, who has had a baby born sleep, and require time to grieve and receive medical treatment for themselves. 

Unfortunately, as there are only 4 of them available within the hospital, I can imagine that the option to be transferred to these rooms is not always possible.  

We were “lucky” to have been given the option, but we had to wait about 4 hours before we could be transferred to the room.  

Sadly, this wait was because another family were in the process of saying their final goodbyes to their loved one.  Such a somber feeling.  A room that you never want to have to use, but one that enables loved ones to have space to dance and sing at the end of the bed, laugh whilst reminiscing about life, saying sweet goodbyes and giving them the courage and permission to close their eyes.   

I can imagine what it would would have been like without the Purple Butterfly Room, because I have been there too.  It was almost unbearable 13 years ago when me and my mum was left to watch my “Nannan in Leicester” pass away on a ward full of strangers with no proper good bye and having to catch some sleep on the floor at side of nannans bed. So, as a family, we have a plan to raise awareness of the Purple Butterfly Room and complete a number of events to raise funds to help future families in need of a Purple Butterfly Room. 

We want to be a part of developing more butterfly rooms.  We want to generate enough funds to replenish, replace or repair items within the rooms.  

So, as Nannan would say, we are going to reach for the stars, arrange a few events among us and hope that we can raise £820. 

My plan:

I am going to cycle and run for 82kms in one day, the 7th October 2023.  A km for each year that she touched our lives and made us who we are today.It may be a bit bonkers, I may be slow and I may look an ugly mess at time.  However,  I will do it.For my Nannan I will do it!To do this, I need your help!I certainly need my training buddies over the next 10 weeks.I would like to invite you to be a part of the 82kms.  This could include, Join me at PureGym (Meadowhall Retail Park) on 7.10.23 to Run, cycle or walk alongside meBe prepped with lots of 1 way conversation for the journey Meet me for planned breaks for refuel and motivation. 

Craig and Susan’s plan:

They are going to cycle the Trans Pennine Trail from Rotherham to Hornsea (100 miles!) over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Hornsea is somewhere that we as a family enjoy and where we have had some lovely times with Nannan and Grandad.There bums will be sore, their legs will be tired, but they will be using the time and opportunity to reminisce, process the last 12 weeks and look to the future. 

As a family, we would be grateful if you could share the Just Giving link far and wide and share your stories of why this is a great cause.  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our family and friends for the support, condolences and encouragement.