New telegroup support for bereaved parents

Redkite has launched a telegroup for bereaved parents who have lost children to cancer. The telegroup brings parents together over the phone. It is designed to reduce the sense of isolation parents often feel, allow them to share their experiences, learn from each other about how to cope and, in time, move forward.

“Bereaved parents often feel a unique sense of isolation that the rest of the community can never be in a position to understand, or to know what they need in terms of support. The bereaved parents telegroup is a very safe place for bereaved parents to feel ‘normal’ once more and to share with each other some ways they can learn to live with the intensity of their loss,” said Linda Brown, co-facilitator of the group.

Redkite also provides grants for face-to-face bereavement counselling to help families, as well as assisting with funeral expenses in times of financial need.

Redkite Telegroups are professionally facilitated telephone-based peer support groups. They are cost free and available for parents of children with cancer, young people up to the age of 24 who have cancer, family members and bereaved parents.

Redkite Telegroups provide emotional support from the privacy of the participant’s own home. They are facilitated by qualified social workers who are experienced in working with families of children diagnosed with cancer. Telegroups are an important part of the community-based services Redkite provides to ensure families are supported once they return home from hospital.

Redkite counsellors are available to families no matter where in Australia they live. Counsellors can offer their support throughout the whole cancer journey and beyond.

For further information on telegroups or for support please contact a member of Redkite’s Community-based Support Team:

T: 1300 722 644
E: support@redkite.org.au

Learn more about Redkite’s services:

•    Telephone support
•    Email support
•    Telegroups
•    Financial assistance
•    Education support