Trey Gibson encourages advocates to not shy away from showing emotions when telling their stories. “It’s okay to cry. Bring some tissues,” he says. “It’s hard for me to tell Emilie’s story without my nose twitching. I miss her terribly, and that’s okay.”
“Emilie’s illness felt like a race in many ways,” Trey Gibson recalls, “At one point during that race, someone asked me about how things were going, and I replied that I don’t like to lose.” After Emilie’s death, the Gibsons were determined to continue Emilie’s legacy. “My wife Candi and I just decided that we needed to keep running. We needed to contribute. We didn’t want our daughter to die in vain.”
The holiday season can be particularly difficult for those who have been impacted by loss and grief. It can include stressors like increased pressure to be happy or participate in activities. In this edition of the HAN blog, we offer advice for those who are coping with loss and those who know someone who is grieving this year.
You should know that grief is often exacerbated around the holidays which can make this time of year especially difficult for you. As we enter the holiday season, consider these strategies, from “What’s your Grief?” to help you cope. Keep in mind, this advice is not one-size-fits-all. Take what works for you and leave the rest. As you navigate this holiday season be gentle with yourself…
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and Hospice Action Network welcome Graciela and Nathan, our new interns. They have joined our team to develop resources to support hospice and palliative care providers and patients experiencing grief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graciela Rayome is a second-year Master of Public Health candidate at the University of Delaware with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.…
