Coping with the Death of a Child: A Personal Perspective

3 March 2023, 14.00

Thomas Clarkson Centre (Fursland Room), Bury St Edmunds

Speaker - Barbara Wilson OBE

Barbara writes...

This talk tells the story of my oldest child, Sarah, who died, as an adult, in a white-water rafting accident in Peru. Her body was never found. I talk about the terrible anguish we faced as a family at the beginning but how we survived and came to terms with her loss. I describe the effect her death had on myself, her father, her sister, her brother and her nieces.

We were helped initially by The Compassionate Friends (TCF), a support group for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents. Later we gave back to TCF and helped run discussion groups, workshops and the newsletter.

Although a cliché, the truth is that one learns to live with this awful grief. There are good people in the world, one can lead a meaningful life even after the most terrible loss and the open wound does, indeed, become a scar.

Through TCF we learned of all sorts of deaths from murder, suicide, fire, cancer, accidents and so forth. People can lose children at any age, through miscarriages, stillbirths, young children, adult children and all of one’s children. TCF is for people of all faiths and no faith. The immediate bond one has with other bereaved parents is powerful and, to this day, TCF is a valuable support group for people like me".

Barbara's talk is hosted by the U3A in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Anyone can attend - you don't need to be a member of the U3A. However, the talk will be of interest to many members of U3A and so that they can gauge numbers, and confirm venue booking, they ask for registration with David Dawson by emailing lectures@u3aburystedmunds.co.uk