FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – VICTORIA, BC – Monday, November 18, 2019 – Tuesday, November 19, 2019 marks the third annual National Bereavement Day in Canada, a day to advocate for grief and bereavement resources and reinforce the idea that grief is a part of life.
No matter your age, the bereavement experts at Victoria Hospice say it can be helpful to express your grief. “If you are old enough to love, you are old enough to grieve,” says Victoria Hospice Child & Youth Bereavement Counsellor, Allyson Whiteman. Whiteman is the voice of a three-part podcast series just launched by Victoria Hospice’s Communications team. In the series, she explains how children and youth grieve at each developmental stage, providing information for parents and professionals on how to foster resilience in families.
“My passion is advocating for children,” she says. Whiteman says even babies and young toddlers experience grief. “That’s the age group whose grief can be unintentionally overlooked,” she says. “Some parents may think they are too young, they wouldn’t understand, or they wouldn’t be able to let us know. However, there are in fact many ways that they can let us know. I’m so excited to share my knowledge in this podcast series.”
With over 1.5 hours of educational content, the three podcasts provide tools for supporting children and youth of all ages. They can be found at www.victoriahospice.org/podcasts.
Victoria Hospice was able to launch the series thanks to generous support from the community. It is one of many steps the organization is currently taking to grow their circle of care. In October, Victoria Hospice celebrated the largest expansion of their services in 30 years, with the opening of a new Community Support Centre, a hub for bereavement services in the Royal Oak area.
“Our team is very aware of the need for education and support around understanding grief and what to do with it in our communities,” says Marney Thompson, Director of Psychosocial Services. “With the new Community Support Centre, we are able to help with that.”
Victoria Hospice offers compassionate support though a range of services including volunteer calls and visits, professional counselling, bereavement support groups, memorial events, and information about grief. You do not need a prior connection with Victoria Hospice to access their bereavement services and programs are offered in Victoria and the WestShore.
Media Contact: Jen Cooper, Communications & Marketing Manager, Victoria Hospice
Tel: 250-519-1729 Email: jennifer.cooper@victoriahospice.org Web: www.victoriahospice.org
Grief During the Holidays can be Challenging – Victoria Hospice offers these events for people to share their concerns and honour the lives of their loved ones:
- Saturday Nov. 23rd – How to Cope with the Holidays When you are Grieving
- 10:30am – 12:00 pm at Victoria Hospice’sCommunity Support Centre, 102-4450 Chatterton Way. Pre-registration required.
- Sunday Dec. 1st – Sharing of the Lights
- 4:30-5:30pm at the UVic Interfaith Chapel – a unique opportunity to come together to remember and honour those you love.
- Dec. 2nd-8th – Celebrate a Life
- Tillicum Centre (Winner’s entrance) – visit to hang a personalized tribute card in memory of a loved one on our festive tree. Volunteers will be on hand.
Click here for more details on these events.
Click here for useful information regarding “Bereavement Tips for Special Holidays”