The Start of the healing process 27 years later
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Its 2025, February and a month where its hard to focus, concentrate or just be normal. 27 years ago, 26 February 1998, my daughter Shannon drowned. We looked away for what seemed like a second and she was gone. I decided now it was time to bring back the past gently, and one memory at a time by inviting The Compassionate Friends to come into the studio and begin a round of discussions to help those who unfortunately have become a member of this club of parents and siblings. They were there when I needed someone to make sense of it all. To listen to the ramblings of a mom who had no idea why it happened to me. Andrea Berzon, who heads up the Johannesburg Chapter and Koketso Motsepe, Lay Counsellor, were brave enough to join me on one of the worlds hardest conversations...Why Me? In this episode I am joined by my close friend and co host, Lindi Tshabangu.
THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS is a mutual self-help organisation offering friendship and understanding to bereaved parents and siblings. The primary purpose is to assist them in the positive resolution of the grief experienced upon the death of a child and to support their efforts to achieve physical and emotional health.
The secondary purpose is to provide information and education about bereavement to help communities, families, friends, employers, co-workers and professionals to be supportive.
TCF was founded by Reverend Simon Stephens in the UK in 1969 after he witnessed the support two bereaved families were able to draw from each other after losing a child. TCF was founded in South Africa in 1983 by Linda Abelheim and there are now several groups throughout the country. The Johannesburg TCF has been in operation for many years.
THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS is a mutual self-help organisation offering friendship and understanding to bereaved parents and siblings. The primary purpose is to assist them in the positive resolution of the grief experienced upon the death of a child and to support their efforts to achieve physical and emotional health.
The secondary purpose is to provide information and education about bereavement to help communities, families, friends, employers, co-workers and professionals to be supportive.
TCF was founded by Reverend Simon Stephens in the UK in 1969 after he witnessed the support two bereaved families were able to draw from each other after losing a child. TCF was founded in South Africa in 1983 by Linda Abelheim and there are now several groups throughout the country. The Johannesburg TCF has been in operation for many years.