As the Clinical Manager Bereavement Services I wanted to say a very warm thank you.
I’ve only been with Red Nose for a few months and as you can imagine, starting a new role in the middle of a pandemic has certainly been unusual, but the Red Nose staff and community have been so welcoming.
I am a bereaved sibling myself, after my older sister Catherine died when she was 2 ½ years old. Although I was never able to meet Catherine, she remained a strong presence in my life as my parents shared memories, pictures and mementos regularly.
It’s been a pleasure joining a team of people who are so passionate about supporting Australian families who have experienced the unimaginable pain the death of a child causes.
This year we’ve all been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis, often in ways we didn’t expect.
Many bereaved families can identify with feelings of isolation; however with physical and social restrictions over the past few months, feelings of emotional isolation have been overwhelming for many families.
As you can imagine, we’ve had to adapt very quickly to make sure we had the technology and systems for our counsellors to be able to work from home and maintain vital contact with grieving families.
Throughout this crisis we’ve received over 40% more calls for help than ever before.
The Grief and Loss team has worked hard to provide around the clock support with our 24/7 Support Line as well as one-on-one counselling over phone or the internet. We’ve even been able to hold online group activities and supports.
It is absolutely vital that families are able to connect with those who understand their journey, and are able to walk alongside them through their grief.
A parent recently said, “I’m ringing to say thank you for being there for us. Our son was born still six weeks ago and we were struggling to get out of bed. A friend gave us your number. It still hurts like hell, but we’re getting up and getting dressed each day and that feels good. I don’t know how to say thank you.”
Thanks to your generous support Red Nose Bereavement Services have been able to run throughout the pandemic, so that every family has support when they need it most.
Visit the Grief and Loss website here or phone the 24/7 support line on 1300 308 307.