Help us support more people like Emma, by donating to our Grief Appeal today

Leroy, a church minister, had seemed completely well, although it later transpired he had pneumonia, and it came as a huge shock to Emma to learn of his death.

“It was so sudden”

“I’d heard from Dad just that morning and he seemed completely fine,” said Emma. “He had lunch with my stepmother, sat down to write a sermon, then went outside to paint the windows. A few hours later my stepmother went out to look for him and he had died. It was all so sudden.”

Emma, 32, was very close to her father and struggled to make sense of what had happened. Some friends encouraged her to reach out to Nottinghamshire Hospice for help.

Support

She received 12 sessions of one-to-one telephone counselling to help her process her grief.

“I was sceptical at first and I felt a little coerced by my friends, but I found it incredibly helpful to talk to someone neutral and to be able to share some raw and personal feelings about something that was having such a big impact on me,” said Emma.

Reassurance

“We don’t tend to talk about death very much, but I found it really helpful to open up to someone about how I was feeling, rather than trying to deal with it alone.

“Every few weeks someone would call to check I was okay and I found that very reassuring.

“I was really impressed by the bereavement services and I would recommend them to anyone experiencing grief.”

At Nottinghamshire Hospice, we believe nobody should have to face grief alone. By supporting our Grief Appeal, you’ll help us be there for others like Emma. Find out more here.