Surrey hospice raises awareness about bereavement

This week marks National Grief Awareness Week, a campaign that aims to create awareness about the impact of grief and the services available to those dealing with bereavement.

The Phyliss Tuckwell Hospice based in Farnham provides supportive and end of life care for people living with an advanced or terminal illness as well as their families.

They also offer a bereavement service for the relatives or carers of those who have died in their care.

Specially trained staff along with volunteers have a great deal of experience and knowledge and provide a range of services and ways to help people through what is an extremely difficult time.

Speaking to Greatest Hits, Patient, Family and Carer Team Manager, Maria Abellan, said: "We will all go through bereavement at some point in our lives.

Even if we think that we're safe and this is not happening to us and we don't feel directly affect it, sooner or later.

It's not just the elderly who come to us, we work with people of all different ages and so the impact on families can be completely different.

We are very flexible in our approach and we understand."

She added:

"Bereavement is something very personal. Each person can feel it differently.

Some people experience anger and anxiety, some depression and sadness.

Some people may even feel euphoric and that's absolutely fine, no one is judged.

However, they feel and however they manifest their grief, we will support them in living their life the way they want.

We want them to achieve happiness, that's the best outcome to live their lives as best as they can."

Phyllis Tuckwell’s rememberence service, Light up a Life is held every year in the run-up to Christmas.

The event remembers and celebrates the lives of all those who have died, whether or not they were cared for by Phyllis Tuckwell.

This year’s service will take place at 6.30pm on Sunday 5th December at the Hospice in Farnham, and anyone who would like to remember a loved one is invited to attend.

The charity will also be projecting the names of those being remembered onto Guildford Cathedral, alongside an image of a giant Christmas tree, on the evening of Tuesday 7th December between 5pm-10pm.

For more information visit the Phyliss Tuckwell Hospice

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• grief awareness week