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ANAM Cara, the organisation that supports bereaved parents, is hosting a Bereavement Information Evening on Tuesday, October 4 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm in the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee.
The event gives parents an opportunity to hear a professional, experienced in bereavement support, talk about the many challenges families have to face into after the death of their son or daughter. There will be time after the talk to speak to other bereaved parents.
”I have been to two Information Evenings. Both speakers were exceptionally good. I received very valuable nuggets of information and I got great comfort from speaking to the other parents afterwards,” said one bereaved dad.
Anam Cara CEO Sharon Vard stressed that this event is open to all bereaved parents “regardless of the age your child died, the circumstances of their death or whether the death was recent or not. Anam Cara gives bereaved mums and dads a chance to meet and connect with other bereaved parents in a safe and comfortable setting. Here you can find a level of support and understanding that – even with the best will in the world – it can be difficult for family and friends to offer.”
Ms Vard also spoke about the new resources Anam Cara have made available for bereaved parents and their families: “We have made a series of short videos which are a powerful resource to any family experiencing the death of a child. They aim to reassure parents that they will, one day, learn to cope with the overwhelming sense of loss and desperation that is associated with the passing of a child. Newly bereaved parents and families need the support of those who have suffered a similar experience and learned to cope again, they need reassurance that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that they too will be able to emerge from the depths of despair and start living and enjoying life again.”
The Anam Cara videos involve testimonies from bereaved parents and couples and can be viewed at anamcara.ie/videos. Anam Cara has also produced an Information Pack for Bereaved Parents, a free copy of which can be ordered by contacting head office at 01 404 5378.
The Information Evening is a free event. As Anam Cara will need to confirm numbers for teas, coffees, etc, please RSVP to info@anamcara.ie before Monday, October 3 or call the Information Line on 085 2888 888.
