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29 May 2020, 19:10 | Updated: 29 May 2020, 19:13
More and more people are experiencing the sudden loss of a loved one and have been sadly going through this difficult period without their normal support systems around them.
Being bereaved can be one of the loneliest experiences someone can go through, and being away from family and friends during such a tragic time can make it even harder to come to terms with their grief. Feelings are intensified by not being able to say goodbye or attend a funeral.
Classic FM’s charity, Global’s Make Some Noise is supporting bereavement charities that are providing practical and emotional support at a time when people need it most. These charities are running helplines to provide a listening ear and a form of comfort for people to talk through their feelings and process their grief.
Charities like The Laura Centre – originally a charity that specialised in child bereavement, The Laura Centre has expanded their work to support anyone who has lost a loved one, and to support nurses, doctors and other health workers in dealing with the devastating and unexpected deaths of people due to coronavirus. They have recently recruited more volunteers to respond to their helpline calls and anticipate even more demand in the months ahead.
The charity supports families like *Fiona’s, whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Fiona was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. Despite having a mastectomy, sadly the cancer spread. Fiona is now receiving palliative care, unsure about how much time she has left.
During calls with The Laura Centre team, Fiona explained how coronavirus is having a negative impact on her treatment. She’s been experiencing extreme vomiting and loss of vision and is still awaiting long-overdue scans.
Fiona expressed a feeling of abandonment which she hadn’t shared with her husband before as she was trying to remain positive for him and her young son, *Daniel. While Daniel knows that his mum is poorly and has been acting very clingy, he doesn’t know that his mum may not be with him for much longer.
The Laura Centre have been supporting Fiona by giving her a safe space to express her feelings, which in turn has helped to reduce her high levels of anxiety. The charity has also been preparing Fiona and her husband on how to talk to Daniel about the severity of his mum’s illness and how to help him understand death.
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*The names of individuals have been changed to protect their identity.