A Cornish bereavement charity, that supports children, young people and families following the death of a loved one, has created new serious illness booklets, thanks to a grant from the Health Improvement Fund.
Penhaligon’s Friends have used their 30 years of experience to design the special new resources that are aimed specifically for children who have a close relative or friend with a terminal diagnosis.
The new resources have been made possible with funding for the 12-month project from Cornwall Community Foundation.
The booklets are designed with engaging, age-appropriate illustrations created by talented local illustrator, Jenny Nightingale, whose work features in many of the charity’s other resources.
Children and young people can be sent the new booklet within a postal pack when they have been referred to the charity. Referrals can be made by their parent or carer over the telephone or via a professional working with the young person with consent of their parent/carer.
The postal pack also contains information around feelings that children and young people often have when someone they know has a serious illness and some ideas to help them have conversations with the adults around them. The pack also includes some tangible things to help them manage some of the changes they may be experiencing, including a calming sleep balm to help aid sleep, which is something that often changes during periods of uncertainty.
Polly Langford, Family Services Lead at Penhaligon’s Friends, said:
“We often work with families reactively, after the sudden, unexpected loss of a someone close to them. However, there are also children who experience a different and challenging journey where an important person in their life has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and their death is expected.
“The resources offer children and young people a chance to explore some of the feelings they are experiencing and help them know that the feelings they have are normal and give them some ideas that can help them have tricky conversations and cope better during times of change and uncertainty.”
Tamas Haydu, Chief Executive at Cornwall Community Foundation, said:
"We're proud to have supported Penhaligon's Friends for close to 20 years. They are an amazing charity supporting bereaved children, young people, parents and carers. The new pack provides much needed help, and we are proud to have played a small part in creating the packs by funding it from the Health Improvement Fund. We look forward to hearing stories of the change this will make in young people's lives, giving them support and a bit of joy."
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