Bereavement support

Bereavement doesn’t start at end of life, it often begins from the point of diagnosis. Demelza’s Bereavement Team are available from early on to support families through the most difficult of times - from memory-making to practical support, through to virtual and in-person bereavement groups and events, which will remain available to Demelza families in the months and years ahead.

After Life follows the story of a man, Tony, after his wife, Lisa, passes away from breast cancer. The dark comedy reinforces that there is no one way to respond to grief. Yet through his heartbreak, ultimately, Tony chooses hope. At Demelza, we remain committed to helping others understand grief and making it easier to start those open conversations – because sometimes, just a few words can make all the difference.

Some of the parents we support have shared a few words of wisdom, to help others understand how they can be supported during bereavement.

A key theme of the hit series is “hope is everything”. Even when things may seem hopeless, hope can be found in many places, from a conversation with a loved one to sitting in reflective silence.

Throughout the show we see Tony visiting his wife’s grave, he sits on a bench and talks to her. As he sits graveside, he is soon befriended by a woman, Anne – who has also experienced loss. She becomes somewhat of a confidant to Tony and he is able to speak to her openly about his feelings, eventually starting his journey towards peace.

Demelza’s Therapeutic and Bereavement Lead, Jo Burton, shares: "Finding tranquillity in a busy world can be challenging. Having to put emotions to one side in order to respond to those around us, to negotiate the complexities that life presents or to accomplish the tasks that often dominate our time becomes a frequent reality. When coupled with being consumed by the pain that losing a child presents, the feelings can be overwhelming and moments of tranquillity few.”

CALM has said: “We know benches are a place where you can reflect, talk to someone, sit shoulder to shoulder with someone and get things off your chest. So we’ve worked with Netflix to put benches in parks across the country – inscribed with that crucial line from the show, ‘Hope is everything’ – to help people have those conversations and to show it’s normal to have those feelings.”

Staying connected

If you are receiving care from Demelza and would like to speak to someone about bereavement support, you can get in touch with us at familysupportdepartment@demelza.org.uk or by calling 01795 845280 (Monday to Friday, 10 am – 4 pm).