EACH launches new campaign encouraging people to talk about grief

An East charity's encouraging more people to talk about grief.

East Anglia's Children's Hospices has launched a new campaign called 'I Wish You Knew', which aims to change people's views on hospice care, and equip people to better support those who've lost a loved one.

They have teamed up with family members to raise awareness about the services it provides, the realities families face, and what is involved in child palliative care.

Family members, including children, were asked to get involved by completing the sentence ‘I wish you knew…’.

Their responses have now been published on the charity’s website and they tackle subjects like bereavement, accessibility in public places, the way people speak to parents after the death of their child, and how EACH supported them.

We spoke with Michelle Attrill from the charity, who told us this is an "important opportunity" for families to feel "heard and understood."

"All of our circumstances are unique"

Michelle wanted to make it clear that everyone grieves in different ways and while some may keep busy, others may become introverted.

Similarly, some may want to talk, others won't.

Because of this, she says it's "really important to give people the time for them to tell their story...in their own words and for them to tell it in their own way."

She suggests asking people if they would like to talk as it "invites a conversation which is actually led by the family."

When it comes to children that have passed away, Michelle encourages the use of the child's name: "The child mattered, their life mattered. It's really important that we give the family the opportunity to talk about things that they want to."

She understands death can be a difficult topic to approach and things may come out a bit "clumsy" but that if it is coming from a "good place" people will understand: "There is no harm in saying 'I didn't mean that they way it sounded'."

Practical support

Michelle went onto say that there are practical things people can do to help, like taking the bin out every week, putting a lasagne on the front door step, or calling in with a loaf of bread and a pint of milk.

These are other ways of indicating that you are thinking of the person or family who may need a bit more support.

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