FamiliesConnect: Secondary Losses and Milestones

with Wendy-Ellen – April 19

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The pain felt with the death of a loved one, the diagnosis of occupational disease or in experiencing a life-altering injury are tragic losses all on their own. The effects and affects of the tragedy are felt by many people. In turn, secondary losses also follow these major losses. All of these losses can build upon each other. Each person’s tragedy is their own and specific to their loss. In our next FamiliesConnect session “Secondary Losses and Milestones”, we will explore these losses with each other.

We are made stronger, not weaker by learning about ourselves (and others close to us).  We are stronger for working to understand how we feel and react with others due to the tragedy or tragedies we have experienced. Each of us is a thread in the fabric of life. Pieces have been removed and we need to learn how to deal with (or cope with) the missing parts. A patch can literally be added to a ripped article or piece of clothing; not so with the tragedies each of us have suffered.

Together, we will identify and acknowledge some of these losses and their impacts. Our goal is to increase awareness and build strategies to equip each other to face and mourn our losses.  

Wendy-Ellen lives on a ranch outside Medicine Hat, Alberta with her husband Bruce. She has worked as a substitute high school teacher and was an active volunteer leader for the 4-H program in Alberta for 25 years. In July 2012, Wendy-Ellen’s family experienced a traumatic workplace tragedy with the death of their youngest son, Blaine. Wendy-Ellen wears many ‘hats’ as a volunteer for Threads of Life as she is a member of the Speakers Bureau, a Volunteer Family Guide and a family representative on the Threads of Life Board of Directors. Threads of Life is Wendy-Ellen’s heart work. A job she treasures.