No sky is the limit for sisters Joanna and Lianne.

On the 31st of May 2021, it will be one year since beloved sister, daughter to Michelle and Mum to 8-year old Millie, Becky died after a gutsy 4-year struggle with heart failure.

Sister Joanna recalls how Becky’s illness was sudden and unexpected:

“Becky was at home one morning and knew that she didn’t feel right so she called the ambulance herself.

At first, they thought it was just a panic attack.

“That night at 11.00 pm I had a call to say that Becky was at Kettering General Hospital, and she’d had an operation to put 2 stents in her heart. At the hospital, we later found out she had stage four heart failure which meant 75% of her heart was not working as it should. It was a shock to all of us – and little Millie was only 3 at the time.

“The Doctors gave her about a year, but she just took each day as it came.

“At first she didn’t want to go to the hospice as she thought she’d die in there and she was adamant she wanted to die at home.

“The more times she went the more she realised it was safe and they let Mum stay with her which made it easier for her. She knew all the nurses and they were so good with Millie. They put her completely at ease, letting her be “the Doctor” looking after her mum and taking her temperature.

“The nurses were brilliant, they made everyone feel welcome. Nothing was ever too much trouble –going out of their way to make sure she always had ice in her drink! She loved her ice. They helped all of us and she trusted them knowing that they’d help her and then she’d go home again.

“At the end, she was at home, the palliative care team came out and she passed away on the Sunday.”

Michelle, Becky’s mum said “Becky was given 12 months and fought with all her strength to be here longer for Millie.  Her strength and care from the nurses and doctors from Cransley helped her live for 4 years and for that I and all of the family will be forever grateful”

The two sisters are joined in their skydiving mission to raise money for Cransley Hospice but they both have different reasons for wanting to take to the skies – Joanna, an adrenalin junky wishing to celebrate Becky’s life with fun and exhilaration, and Lianne whose wish is to be up high in the clouds, as close to Becky as she can be on the first anniversary.

If you’d like to help Joanna and Lianne soar above the clouds in support of Cransley Hospice and the provision of specialist end of life care in North Northamptonshire, please donate to their just giving pages.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lianne-bright

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joanna-smith49