A lifeline AFTER LOSS

A mother who suffered a devastating loss channelled her grief to help others

- SERENA SHORES, ANN CUSACK

When Jane Park lost her 11-yearold son Ben, in a tragic accident in August 2003, she was utterly devastated. Friends and family rallied round to support her and husband Dave, then 41, and help distract their two remaining children, eight and 14 at the time, from the heartbreak of losing their brother. But research by members of her church would find a lifeline for Jane with a charity she has been involved in up to the present day helping others come to terms with the pain of losing a child.

'We were on holiday in France when Ben lost his footing walking back from a mountain lake and suffered a cardiac arrest from the fall, says Jane, 61, from Leicester. 'We all flew home in shock and I just sat in a chair unable to move for weeks. Our church leaders knew that they didn't have all the answers and found out about the charity Care for the Family.' 

Care for the Family was established in 1988 by Rob Parsons, and part of their work is to offer a safe place for bereaved parents to be honest about their feelings. Jane found the strength to pick up the phone and spoke to a coordinator called Kath, who put her in touch with a member of the volunteer team who had experienced similar circumstances.

Back in the early 2000s, emails and online chat were less common, so bereaved parents were always contacted by phone. Usually, a woman is connected to another woman, and a man to a man. Calls are arranged a couple of weeks in advance to give the parent a little time.