SIBBS Newsletter, Autumn 2021

SIBBS Newsletter, Autumn 2021 | www.tcf.org.uk 6 Jess died on 8 December 2010, aged 14 years, from primary bone cancer. Her loss devastated her family and friends and it was hard for them to go on living without her. Like so many bereaved people, they struggled to exist in the ‘normal’ world when they had no way of showing they had suffered a great loss, and no way for people to know they were finding it hard. They wanted to create a way to communicate their loss to others, and hopefully encourage more openness and support to help themselves and other grieving people to get through each day. So they created the forget-me-not My Blue Heart badge, which has a little red heart within it to let everyone know that ‘I carry your heart in mine’ and always will. Jess’s family said the hearts are intended to be worn by ‘anyone who has suffered a great loss, those who are recently bereaved, or those who just need to show they are missing someone special that day. We hope the hearts will provide a way to communicate loss and give others the opportunity to show compassion and support.’ All profits from the sale of My Blue Hearts are donated to the Jessica Gower My Blue Heart fund in support of the Bone Cancer Research Trust. You can buy them from the BCRT shop ( www.bcrt.org.uk/get-involved/tribute-funds/jessica-gower-my-blue-heart ) or visit www.facebook.com/icarryyourheartinmine . My Blue Heart - Making grief visible My Blue Heart is an idea born from the knowledge that bereaved people may need a way to show others they are grieving. The family of Jess Gower were inspired by a poem of E.E. Cummings: ‘I carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go…’