A support group for bereaved parents has been re-established on the Sunshine Coast thanks to the support and partnership of the Sunshine Coast Hospice Society. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is an international, non-profit, non-denominational, self-help organization that offers friendship, understanding, grief support and hope to families who have experienced the death of a child.
“It’s not a club any of us would want to belong to,” said Judy Lynne who lost her son, Neil Falkner, in a mountaineering accident 12 years ago.
Lynne found her way to Compassionate Friends after a friend gave her a book of poems, Holding On: Poems For Alex, written by a West Vancouver mother, Cathy Sosnowsky, in memory of her son, Alex. Cathy was the chapter leader for the North Shore TCF.
Since moving to the Coast, Lynne has tried to establish the same support here. Recently, the coordinator of the Sunshine Coast Hospice Society, Bernadette Richards, contacted Lynne and suggested that the Hospice Society would be interested in supporting the establishment of a regular Compassionate Friends chapter and a venue for monthly gatherings.
The meetings are a place where parents can share their feelings in a safe, understanding place. Or, if they prefer, they can just listen. Parents come as they wish, for as long as they wish.
Over time people (friends, family, co-workers) may expect you to move on, and you do, but you never get over it. When we can get together with people who have had a similar experience it can be beneficial, maybe even necessary, for us to talk about our loss, to recall the events surrounding it, to express our feelings, to acknowledge the reality, and to share memories of our child.
There are no fees to belong. The only thing required of people attending the meetings is a willingness to listen. Each person is encouraged to talk about their loss only when they feel comfortable doing so.
Parents are encouraged to stay for tea and cookies and an opportunity to connect with others for one-on-one conversation.
If you are grieving the loss of a beloved child, regular monthly meetings will be held at the Kirkland Centre in Davis Bay at 4602 Simpkins Road on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The next meeting is this Tuesday, Nov. 18. Bring a photo of your child to share if you wish.
Visit Compassionate Friends of Canada website at www.tcfcanada.net for more.
