In talking with families and listening to their stories, a consistent theme that comes up is how critical it is that they receive support in their grief journey. It may come from immediate family members, a neighbor, coworkers or their faith or community group. More and more, people are also receiving support online, allowing them to connect with others anytime day or night. They can learn about other people’s stories and read things at their own speed.
Because of my job, I have access that to a list serve (an email group) that is set up by one of our tissue partners , LifeNet, for donor family members. It is predominately self-moderated and the posts that I have seen are amazing. They range from intensely emotional cries of pain and grief to the more quiet remembrances of the birth or death date of their loved one. They share the insensitivities of people around them, and even their experiences working with local officials to change laws or regulations in some cases. The consistent theme is that people can come as they are - there are no pretenses of where they are supposed to be in their grief journey or what they are supposed to be feeling.
Using the internet in this way enhances our ability to provide support and resources to the many families that we serve. If you are a donor family member and are interested in participating in the online forum I mentioned above, I can help you sign up – just call or email me. You can also visit our website to find more resources to help you in your grief journey. I can also recommend the following sites:
Finding the right support is very personal and you may have to try many different things to find the right one. Using the internet is just one more way you can find support as you grieve and remember your loved one.
Peace,
John LeMay
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