Search results for "child loss"
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/blog/stigmatized-loss/
My journey surviving a stigmatized loss started seven and a half years ago when my eldest child died by suicide. Katrina was 21 years old and about to graduate from college. It has been an emotional roller coaster of grief…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/blog/pay-it-forward-and-keep-your-childs-memory-alive-with-a-memorial-fund/
“A scholarship fund? Sure, that sounds like a great idea,” I mumbled, not fully comprehending what it might involve. We were writing the obituary for our son, Chris, and we just wanted to offer people an option to donate to…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/blog/a-level-playing-field-of-loss/
A long time ago a “friend” referred to me as a professional griever. From his perspective, I was lugubrious or “over the top” in the long-term expression of my grief. He had lost one son to SIDS, two years before…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/blog/the-empty-chair-seven-lessons-gained-in-sibling-loss/
I never meant to become any sort of expert in sibling loss. That’s not a path anyone would willingly choose for themselves. Back in high school, I remember standing in the funeral home at my friend’s wake. After hugging his…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/death-special-needs-child/
Death of a Special Needs Child The death of any child is a devastating experience and every situation is unique, but there are common experiences that can help people find support in their grief. Those who experience the loss of…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/parents-now-childless/
Parents Who are Now Childless The death of any child overwhelms that child’s parents regardless of the cause of death or the age of the child. Parental grief is intense, long-lasting, and complex. Many believe that this grief, desolation, and…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/caring-surviving-children/
Caring for Surviving Children The death of a child strikes at the very heart of a family. Bereaved parents often feel helpless to provide guidance and comfort to their surviving children, yet must parent at a time when their emotional…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/coping-stigmatized-loss/
Coping After a Stigmatized Loss When the death has an associated stigma we may experience additional layers of pain on our grief journey. Examples of stigmatized losses include HIV/AIDS, suicide, substance related causes, homicide and mental health issues. The same…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/child-dies-substance-related-cause/
When a Child Dies from a Substance Related Cause A child’s death at any age from any cause is a profound loss. When substances such as alcohol and/or drugs (legal or illegal) are involved, additional layers of grief are…
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/surviving-childs-suicide/
Surviving Your Child’s Suicide The suicide of a child of any age presents unique circumstances that can intensify and prolong the mourning process for parents, family members and friends. Suicide is believed to be a reaction to overwhelming feelings of…