Many people experience a “roller coaster” of emotions after the death of their child. Your feelings can range from sadness and heartache, anger, emptiness, isolation, maybe even a sense of relief, to loneliness, numbness, etc to the physical pain of a sore, aching heart, and many more.

Initially some people may feel disconnected from the real world. They feel as if they are just existing, without any emotional connection. It’s as if you’re in “auto-pilot” mode getting through each day on a purely operational level. Others may feel like they are unable to concentrate or complete the simplest task. Some caregivers feel quite lost and without purpose or identity. It may feel as if your entire world has fallen apart and is totally out of balance, and you doubt whether you will be able to return to a new normal ever again.

By understanding more about the grieving process and receiving help with bereavement from appropriately trained professionals, families can learn to live with their grief and begin rebuilding their lives. Bereavement support aims to assist parents and siblings integrate the loss of a child into the rebuilding of their lives in a meaningful and compassionate way.

Find support

Bereavement support is provided by several organisations in South Africa and there are many international organisations where you can get online support. You could try the following:

South Africa:

Useful Websites and Social Media:

If you have any comments or questions that you would like one of our experts from the network to respond to, please send an email to info@patchsa.org.