Leah’s Story

Grief… Loss… Death… 

These are not the words you expect to say to a child. How do you broach the subject of death? How do you prepare them for what’s to come? How do you help them through the grieving process when you, yourself are grieving? This is where Archie’s Child Bereavement Service (ACBS) can help. Formally known as the Grampian Child Bereavement Network, the service helps children who are struggling with loosing a loved one. Helping them come to terms with and work through their grief in an age appropriate way. 

One such parent who came to ACBS for help was Debbie. “Archie Bereavement helped my daughter (Leah, aged 9) through one of the toughest times of our life”. After finding out that a family member, who was such a huge part of Leah’s life, was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, Debbie saw an ACBS leaflet in the hospital. “I made contact (with the team) as I knew I may not be able to give her the support she needed when the time came”. 

Jane, one of the Support Workers in Aberdeen, worked with Leah from the moment her loved one passed. “Getting the earliest support we could after they passed has helped”. Some activities that Leah and other children do to work through their loss and emotions is creating memory boxes of them and their loved one. This can help them to remember the good times and keep the memory of their loved one alive. Debbie says this exercise really helped with Leah’s journey. 

Leah is coping well now and no longer needs to see Jane. Debbie explains that she still has emotional days, where she misses her loved one, but she knows that this is normal and everyone has those times. “It’s good to know that if she struggles, the support of the Bereavement team will be there to support her in the future”.  

To say thank you for the support ACBS has given to Leah and her family, Debbie is now a big supporter of The Archie Foundation. From volunteering at events to taking part in fundraisers. Leah is currently part of The Variety Show, singing in a girlband called The Greatest Showgirls. And they’ve just taken part in the most recent Marathon March virtual challenge, helping to raise a whopping £23,000 for Archie services. “I feel very grateful for the support we have received and can’t thank Jane enough for helping Leah.”