By Anna May
Last week I was contacted by the BBC to speak about student bereavement, in response to the loss of two students in Nottingham. It is bittersweet to read – I am grateful to have had this opportunity, and saddened by the circumstances. You can read the full article here: Away from home and dealing with death – students on their grief – BBC News
Often when I hear of a loss, I feel the pain of my own experiences reflected back at me. There is nothing that can be done to ‘fix’ this pain, but there are things that can make the journey easier.
Before I say anything else, I want to remember Grace and Barnaby, and send my love to all those who have been impacted, especially their close family and friends. While no grief is the same, and it’s not always helpful to say ‘I know how it feels’, often when I hear of a loss, I feel the pain of my own experiences reflected back at me. There is nothing that can be done to ‘fix’ this pain, but there are things that can make the journey easier.
I am determined that this cannot be a one-time conversation. Yes, this is about what happened in Nottingham, but tens of thousands of students across the UK are dealing with grief in many different forms and the awareness and support around this is incredibly limited. Students come to me all the time sharing how alone and let down they have felt, at a time when they most need support. This is why The Student Grief Network and other individuals and organisations working in this space are so important, and why I won’t stop pushing.