2 Apr 2022 10:00
Who can you talk to about baby-loss? This episode is all about managing tricky conversations with family and friends, and the free support available from the Red-Nose support line
Edwina Symonds is a red nose volunteer support line worker whose son Sebby passed away due to a rare genetic disorder. She uses writing to help grieve and also to help those around her to understand the impact child loss creates. Caitlin Crowley interviews Edwina on her work as a volunteer for the Red Nose support line.
Edwina explains that working at Red Nose feels like a legacy for Sebby and her contribution through that work is his gift to the world.
Edwina reassures the listener to call the 'Red Nose Crisis line' – even if you are the father-in-law, there is no grief too distant or too ‘small.’
Edwina encourages people to just listen to grieving families and that there is literally nothing that you can do to help, just listen. She explains how often some of the people closest to us are the people that hurt us the most. Edwina advises in that situation to 'please come back to your child, come back to the love,’ and don’t spend your time or energy on that hurt from others. Be a lioness and protect yourself and say ‘no, I am not going to that event to spend time with that hurtful person.’ It is all just ‘fuzz.’
Edwina offers suggestions for friends or family trying to ‘pull grieving people up and out of the well’ and ideal ‘tones’ to use in their texts or phone calls suggesting activities.
She explains what helped her through those first most painful, ravages of grief. Edwina talks about organ donation and the pivotal role registering with the online organ donation registry plays. Please find the website link below. It takes less then 60 seconds to register and can save lives.
The episode wraps with an acknowledgement of the painful journey bereaved parents walk and how time influences that path.
Links:
https://www.theglimmerproject.com/
https://bluehearts.com.au/the-cause.html
https://stillbirthfoundation.org.au/
https://rednose.org.au/page/grief-and-loss-support-services
https://www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today
Special thank you to:
- Corey Green (podcast editor - Transducer Audio) https://www.transducer-audio.com/
- Coby Grant (Winter Bear backing sound track)
- Ashleigh Smith (Producer and creator of The Glimmer Project, Podcast and Online group)
Social media:
@glimmer_project
@bluehearts_au
@stillbirthfoundation
