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This entrepreneur, who prefers to remain anonymous, has dedicated their life to helping others navigate the complexities of grief. Their journey began with two books, “The Grief Recovery Handbook” and “The Grief Recovery Workbook,” which they self-published and sold through online platforms. These books, written in a clear and concise style, offered practical advice and tools for coping with grief.
She founded the “Hope for the Journey” organization, a non-profit dedicated to providing support and resources to families facing similar challenges. Louise’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the profound impact of compassion. Louise’s journey began with a devastating loss.
Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Matthew had recently started his new dream role as a journalist, after graduating from Brighton University, when he was diagnosed with Type 2 Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma in 2014, an extremely rare and aggressive tumour that affects only five per cent of kidney cancer sufferers. Louise with her son Matt. Photo supplied But it was more than two years before the severity of the condition was to become known. Louise, 65, reflects: “We were in complete shock. The bottom of our world just fell out. But then a survival mechanism kicks in. It still feels unbelievable today that this happened to our family.
He was a man of science, a man of logic, a man of reason. But in that moment, he was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the situation. He was a man of science, but he was also a man of faith. And in that moment, he was faced with a choice: to cling to his logic and reason, or to embrace the unknown and the inexplicable.
Louise’s journey of grief and healing was not a solitary one. She found support in the letters she wrote, and she also found solace in the company of others who shared her pain. She connected with a local grief support group, where she met other bereaved parents.
“The experience of losing my son sent me on a journey through the darkest depths of my soul but by sharing my story, and my learnings, I now have a passion for supporting others going through a similar journey.” Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It’s the same passion that has driven Louise to recently put herself through a programme of specialist grief training. She added: “Combined with my training and my personal experience, I feel confident I can help other people who are going through grief. “When I was going through the rawness of grief in the early days, I just wanted to sit and feel everything that it threw at me.
“Catherine and Bill at Watersmeet in Devon. The meeting was a pivotal moment in their relationship, marking the beginning of their love story. They met at Watersmeet, a picturesque spot in Devon known for its beauty and natural charm. The meeting was a chance encounter, a serendipitous event that brought them together.
I feel like I’m in a dream, but I’m also aware of my surroundings. It’s a strange feeling, but it’s a good feeling. I feel like I’m in control, but I’m also being guided.
She said: “Grief comes in waves and in the beginning you feel like you’re constantly being bashed by them and then over time you get a bit of a lull in the wave and you can breathe and then the waves get smaller and the spaces in between the waves get longer, and then you think you’re doing really well and suddenly the tsunami will come and knock you over again. “It could be seeing somebody in the street who looks like Matthew or a song on the radio or some random thought that pops into my head. Advertisement Hide Ad
Advertisement Hide Ad “I’ve accepted that because I know now even that if a massive tsunami comes, I’m going to survive it. I know I’m going to come out the other side. “It’s like a grief shadow, you know, that it’s there. But it’s like it’s Matthew and so it’s a good feeling. “Sometimes it can be so strong, like an overwhelming feeling of love, like Matthew’s given me a virtual hug. I’ve accepted his death, I’m able to move on in my life. I just carry it with me now but I carry it with love.” Both Louise’s books are available to buy on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Louise-%20Bates/author/B0BKKZCVN5?
Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Gift For Grief podcast episode can be heard here: https://pod.link/1699741572 WHAT CATHERINE SAYS “I was at Matthew’s funeral, observing a family ripped apart by a cruel, terrible, indiscriminate disease, cancer. “Louise and I met, as it happens, on a retreat, looking into our past lives. I loved her energy, and she was my kind of woman. And over the years, I’ve pushed and prompted her because I could see she’s got so much about her. “Her books are making a phenomenal difference. As a guest on my podcast, I was delighted when, again, being prodded, she started podcasting too.
Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad “Her Gift of Grief podcast is a really wonderful resource for people gripped by loss and grief. Louise has absolutely turned her pain into purpose.” To follow Catherine’s Gobsmacked! podcast go to: https://gobsmacked.me/ The book accompanying her podcast is available to purchase here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1399972928?