Support from Keech does not stop after the death of a child. We continue to provide support to all members of the family for as long as they require it. This support is matched to each individual's needs.
Initially our care team and family support staff will help the family with the difficult practical matters that need doing, such as registering the death and arranging the funeral. This will be alongside offering emotional care and support during these initial days.
Over the months or years ahead, our staff will offer ongoing support to families by keeping in regular contact via telephone and home visits. This support will continue for as long as the family desires.
Shoulders of Support
Shoulders of Support, or SOS, is our support group for bereaved families. The monthly meetings give members the chance to discuss their feelings with families in a similar situation and overcome their grief together. All discussions are made in a safe and confidential environment.
Remembrance Events
Once a year we hold a remembrance service called Daffodil Sunday. During the service families can meet with others in a similar situation to theirs or spend time talking to members of our care team.
They can also plant daffodil bulbs in the hospice gardens in memory of their child, which they are invited to come up and see in full bloom the following spring.
We also hold two other remembrance events during the year. The first is our Family Thanksgiving and Remembrance Service, held at St Margaret's Church in Streatley on 12 May. The second is Light up a Life. This is an opportunity for families to dedicate a light on our hospice Christmas tree in memory of their loved one. A service is held in early December, at which the tree is lit for the first time.
Tribute Sites
Today, more and more families are expressing their feelings and memories about the life of their child online. Keech works with memorial web charity MuchLoved to help families create a dedicated tribute site on the internet.
To find out more about our bereavement service, please contact:
Steve Andrews
Bereavement Care Worker
Tel: 01582 492339
Email: sandrews@keech.org.uk
