Loss leads friends to set-up bereavement group
Called Strength through Sorrow, the monthly meet-ups at St Michael’s are aimed at those of a working age
A bereavement group supporting those of a working age who have lost spouses and partners will launch at St Michael’s Hospice.
Strength through Sorrow has been set up by friends Claire and Sarah whose respective husband/partner have died in the past year or so.
Soon after their loss, the women turned to bereavement groups in search of solace and support, but found they were in a different life stage to other attendees.
“I joined five different groups, but I was always the only one of working age there,” said Claire, whose husband Simon died at St Michael’s last year having received a diagnosis of inoperable and incurable cancer just a few months earlier.
“I eventually found Sarah on one of the online bereavement groups. She is a similar age to me, and lives in Herefordshire. She said she’d had similar experience as me and was keen to find a group aimed at working age widows and widowers.”
The pair, who have since become close friends, chatted and Claire told Sarah of her idea to set up a bereavement group for working age widows and widowers. Sarah, who coincidentally volunteers with the Ward Clerk team on our Inpatient Unit, agreed to run it with her.
Called ‘Strength through Sorrow’, the group will meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 6.30pm in the cafe at St Michael’s Hospice in Bartestree. The first meeting will be on 7th April.
“The aim of the group is to have a safe space to connect with others navigating the loss of a spouse or partner, either at St Michael’s Hospice or elsewhere,” added Claire.
Everyone is welcome on the evening, but it would be helpful for them to know in advance whether people would like to attend.