Online Support Group for Parents Bereaved by Cancer or Long Term Illness

16 April 2025, 19.00 – 20.30

Online Via Zoom

PLEASE BOOK HERE

These groups are suitable for parents who have been bereaved for at least three months. If your loss is more recent (under three months), we encourage you to contact our helpline for one-to-one listening support on 0345 123 2304 – our helpline team are all bereaved parent volunteers.

 ***

As parents we want the best for our children and hope that they will live long, healthy and happy lives. Some of us knew from the birth, or soon after, that our child was suffering from a terminal illness, and that our time together as a family was likely to be limited. Others of us enjoyed carefree years of good health for our child, with the illness and eventual diagnosis - whether cancer or another terminal illness - coming as a dreadful shock.

We may have found ourselves thrust into a new and frightening world, where we are not in control and, ultimately, we are powerless in our struggle to keep them alive. We may have lived for years in an emotional turmoil of hope and fear and have been worn down by the battle with their illness and have few resources left to sustain us in our journey through grief and loss.

Death is always a shock, even when expected - a time when all hope has finally been snatched away and we must begin to face a future without our child.

We are inevitably different people after the death of our child, but the need to remember our child and to share memories will always be there. This is an opportunity to share with others who have similar experiences and find hope for the future.

What parents at a recent group have said:

‘I didn’t join the session with anything other than hoping it may give me a sense of not being the only one who has lost a child to cancer or long term illness. I felt a connection to the group knowing we were all parents who could relate to one another. I felt less alone after the session.’ 

‘It was helpful to hear what others had to say although our circumstances were all very different - hearing how others were dealing with their grief.’

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

This online support group is for parents who are bereaved of a child by cancer or long-term illness.

To ensure the group remains as supportive as possible, we limit the number of attendees. Once you book, you will receive further details and the Zoom link closer to the meeting date. If you do not receive the link by the day of the meeting, please check your spam or junk folders. For any queries, please contact info@tcf.org.uk.

When you book for this group, you will be directed to a webpage where we ask you to share some details about your bereavement including whether you are already receiving support from our charity. We appreciate the strong need to share what has happened particularly in the early months and years of our loss – however, to ensure we keep our groups as safe and supportive as possible, we ask that everyone shares the time equally during the sessions. We ask too that no graphic details are shared given these can be triggering and traumatising for everyone.

We kindly ask that you join the group using a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet to ensure the best experience. If you use a mobile phone, you may not be able to see all other participants in the session which can detract from the group experience for you and for other attendees. We ask too that you keep your video on throughout the session.

Please note that our online support groups are facilitated by bereaved parent volunteers who are not professionals. What we hope to offer is a uniquely warm, understanding, and supportive space led by parents who have also experienced the loss of a child and have found connection and hope through The Compassionate Friends.

Since spaces are limited, please book via this webpage to secure your place. Bookings can only be made online. If the session is full, priority will be given to parents who have not attended a Compassionate Friends online support group before.

For any further questions, please contact events@tcf.org.uk.

Please note: This group is for bereaved parents in the UK only. If you are joining from outside the UK, please email us at events@tcf.org.uk for further guidance.

If you are very newly bereaved:
Please note that our online support groups are not suitable for parents who are very newly bereaved. In the early weeks when we are experiencing such raw, vulnerable grief, online support can’t offer the physical presence, comfort and reassurance needed. In some situations, we may contact you to determine if our online group is the right support for you at this time even if you are more than 3 months’ bereaved.

For any further questions, please contact events@tcf.org.uk

PLEASE BOOK HERE