Help us to help the Mittons!! Let's show them some love

So... how is it that fairy tales go?.... Once upon a time there was a girl who met a boy, they fell in love, built a wonderful life and lived happily ever after, right? Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple….

Let me take you back ten years…to one fateful day in October 2014 when Clair and Phil met each other at a wedding. They knew straight away they were destined to be together and their relationship blossomed from that day, they knew they were destined to spend forever together and started working towards their own happily ever after.

On the outside looking in, you’d be forgiven in thinking they had the perfect set up, nice house, gorgeous kids, not a care in the world. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case, and the past few years they have been faced with difficulties and heartbreak that most of us are lucky enough to have never had to face. It started in April 2021 when Clair’s amazing Mum, Jan, got diagnoses with terminal cancer. What followed was 19 months of hospital stays, worry and heartache as they could only watch as Jan tried to fight off this dreadful disease. There were good times and they managed to make happy memories that they can cherish for a lifetime, not forgetting of course, a wedding arranged in record time that enabled Jan to see her only daughter marry the love of her life and become Mrs Mitton. Throughout her Mum’s illness Clair was by her side supporting her through it all, all the while continuing to be an amazing Mum to her own children and supporting them through the ordeal of watching their beloved Nanny fall sicker and sicker. Throughout it all, Phil was steadfast in his support of Clair and the wider family. Working as hard as he could to provide for Clair and the kids so they could spend what precious time was left with her gorgeous Mum/Nanny. Sadly, Jan lost her battle on 13th November 2022 and her passing was felt not only by the close family, but every single person who knew and loved her.

Now, you’d think that that was more than enough for one family to bear, but unfortunately it wasn’t the only difficulties this little family faced. Whilst trying to navigate through the Jan’s illness, they were victims of a financial scam that saw all their life savings lost and a huge debt left in its place. Not only were they helpless preventing their hearts from shattering, their security, stability and life plans also fell apart around them. As many are aware, Phil is self-employed and at times work could be sporadic, despite an unbelievable work ethic and endless efforts to secure work, unfortunately this was also one of those times where work was scarce and income was scant. Not ones to make a fuss or ask for help, they put on brave faces and hid their turmoil from the world. Ensuring that the focus remained on Jan and making sure her final months were as happy as could be and that the kids were absolute none the wiser to the dire straits their parents were now in. With mounting bills, little income and no safety net, they were faced with pressures that would make many marriages crumble. But not theirs, they pulled together and faced everything the universe was throwing at them. Jan was also none the wiser, meaning she didn’t have to face any additional worries so she could enjoy her remaining time with her cherished family.

Following Jan’s passing, Clair went back to free-lance work and aesthetics, and Phil managed to secure work. They slowly started to gain control of the situation but there was a long, hard road ahead before they were back to where they were. Whilst a large part of the debt remained, life was at last looking up for this amazing couple.

However, this is when a further tragedy hit, on 14th August whilst out at work, Phil suffered a heart attack at the wheel. Luckily the emergency response was fast and he was defibrillated and rushed to the hospital. After emergency surgery he was put in an induced coma to give his body and brain a chance to rest and recover from the trauma. He has remained critically ill in intensive care since this time. It is yet not fully understood what the prognosis will be and if there will be any long-lasting impacts or damage. However, what is certain is that he is not going to be able to work for some time, and as you can image, being self-employed this is catastrophic, particularly considering the already precarious situation.

Now here’s where the point of this page comes in, this is not a sob story, nor is it in any way a bid for charity. It is a plea for all those who know and love these amazing people to come together and help. It is a plea for all those who have read the story and been touched by it to help and support. It is a plea for each and every person reading this to consider what they would do and how they would cope if face with a similar situation. It really could happen to any of us at any time, and the difficult histories make it all the more difficult to comprehend. This family has been through enough and again faces a huge up hill battle, I implore anyone reading this to act with compassion and support in any way they can, whether that be £50 or 50p, it will all add up and will all help in an immeasurable way. It will help to allow a wife to dedicate her time to be with her sick husband, it will help a mum to spend what little down time she has with her 2 young children whilst their Dad is fighting for his life and recovery, it will help 2 children to see a small burden lifted of their family and allow them the extra time with Mummy whilst Daddy is trying to get better, and hopefully in the not too distant future it will help a poorly husband to relax and focus on his recovery knowing his family are supported. And of course, not forgetting, it will help a family to see just how loved and supported they truly are. We can’t fix health concerns, though we wish more than anything we could, and we cant changes the past or I’m sure we’d go back and do just that. But what we can do, is help in the here and now, and lift some of the burden and stress that their situation is laden with. We can wrap this family in so much love and support and show them that they are not alone in their struggles. I know for a fact, that if the tables were turned, they would 100% be the first ones to offer their help and support to anyone of us in need.

So come on people, lets show the Mitton’s there’s an army behind them, whatever you can give, no matter how small, can make a huge difference and be appreciated beyond words.

You’re not on your own Mitton’s, we’ve got you ❤