Death of a Parent

Hope – Benefits of child-centred grief programs

Hope discusses hope grief camp gave her and her family a place to feel normal

The First Fathers’ Day Without Dad

When you lose a person in the generation before you, you begin to think about what they meant to you. When you lose a parent, you think about all they meant, and you hoped you either lived up to the best of yourself, or in some cases where the parenting was not as instructive or kind, you hope you’ve raised yourself beyond difficult circumstances.

Amber – Talking about death

Amber explains why it’s so important to talk about grief and her kids

Kim – Some cry some don’t

Kim discusses how tough COVID made the hospital experience and the support she received

Katie – Getting stronger

Katie talks losing her mother when she was young and how the experience helped her when she lost her Dad

Sam – Prostate Cancer

Sam talks about prostate cancer and losing his father and uncle to it

Antoinetta – Story

Antoinetta tells her story of grief and her father getting lung cancer

Keeping Records

I pulled the photos out of their envelope one at a time, turning over each one to carefully record the date, place, and people in the photo. Sometimes, I included comments. “Apple picking in Hamilton with Pop Pop, Fall, 2023. You loved the wagon ride!”. I slipped each picture into an empty pocket in my son’s photo album.

Craig – My Cumulative Grief

Craig shares his story of experiencing a series of significant losses over the course of two years. He talks about the shock, grief, and uncertainty he felt during this time, and how he coped with the accumulation of loss.Craig’s story is a reminder that grief is a normal and natural response to loss, but it can be overwhelming when it comes in waves. If you are experiencing grief, it is important to reach out for support from friends, family, or a therapist. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and everyone experiences it differently. The important thing is to be patient with yourself and to allow yourself to feel your emotions.

Mary S – Coping with multiple loss

Mary explains the challenges of dealing with the death of her partner and then her parents

Cheryl and Mike – “Grieving more than one person”

Mike and Cheryl discuss how it gets complicated with multiple losses. They continue to grieve Cheryl’s father and the death their daughter in a car accident.

Karyn and Aidan – Going forward

Karyn and Aidan talk about Aidan’s wedding after John died and how they continue to cope