[Anthea-Lynn Lewis]

#85216

Nine years later and I am really struggling with …
How does one continue to be strong, motivated and passionate?
When a Child or Teenager dies, I tell the other Mommies not to stress, it doesn’t mean that this Child or Teenagers Journey is over, your Child or Teenager is next? How do I know that? I say that to comfort them but what about me. Each time a Child or Teenager dies, so too a part of me dies. Is this even normal? My Team is me? I am the Admin, the Counsellor, the Coordinator… So many hats and nine years later I am lost…

[Anthea-Lynn Lewis]

#85217

Awaiting eagerly on your responses…

[Helene Best]

#85239

It appears that you would benefit greatly from having the support of a team of people to share your responsibilities. Feeling burnt-out after such a long time of carrying all the responsibility, is not surprising. If one does not have other team members at your work place, due to the nature of the facility, it might be helpful to try and find resources outside of the physical environment for support and guidance, such as on-line support, connecting with colleagues in similar palliative care environments, or finding support in your personal life to strengthen your mind, body and spirit.

[Tracy]

#85327

Anthea – I’m so sorry to hear about the immense burden you’ve been carrying for so long. It’s completely understandable that you feel lost and overwhelmed given the roles you play and the immense emotional toll it takes. What you’re doing — supporting others through the grief of losing a child or teenager is such important work, but it can also be incredibly draining and lonely. You show signs of both compassion fatigue and burn-out!

It’s essential to acknowledge that while you offer comfort and strength to others, you also need support and care for yourself. It’s not only normal but also necessary to seek help when you’re struggling. Your compassion and dedication to helping children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer and their families is remarkable, but please remember you deserve that same compassion for yourself. You’re not alone in this, and it’s okay to take a step back and prioritize your own healing and well-being. Thank you for all that you do, and please do consider reaching out for the support you deserve.

Thank you too, Helen, for the support and encouraging suggestions to Anthea-Lynn.

[Sue Boucher]

#85328

Anthea-Lynn, the work you do is incredibly difficult and there are very few people with the strength, passion or the motivation to do it. You are clearly a blessing to those you counsel and comfort and you make an enormous difference in the lives of children, teenagers and adults going through one of the very worst experiences one could imagine. The fact you grieve each and every death is a testament to just how much you care, and that is something that every parent will appreciate. It is normal for anyone with genuine compassion. I hope that you can accept that you need to take care of yourself before you burn out and no longer have the capacity to continue. How can we help?

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