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Helping you help families through Steps for Life fundraising
Fundraising for Steps for Life has definitely evolved over the years, from door-to-door asks to phone calls, to posting our personal fundraising page links on social media. What’s constant is your passion for supporting families of workplace tragedy, and ability to move with the trends.
Biographical disruption: When a chronic illness diagnosis changes you forever
by Kasey Boehmer, Ph.D., M.P.H., NBC-HWC, Reprinted with permission from Mayo Clinic Press Heidi’s main fear was just realized; the doctor has informed her that — without a doubt — she has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Gone is the hope that this wasn’t a serious disease,...
What it means to value health and safety on the farm
I was helping my husband hook the square baler up to the tractor. I needed to get around on the other side to remove a block from the jack stand. We were in a hurry – you’re often in a hurry on a farm – the forecast was calling for rain later in the day and we had hay to bale and load into the barn before it got soaked and spoiled.
Volunteer Profile: Elaine Mailman
In Stellarton, Nova Scotia, on January 14, 1952, John Mailman died in a coal mine gas explosion. His son was only 18 months old. The community rallied around his widow, providing support in any way they could, but Elaine Mailman wishes that an organization like Threads of Life had been available to support her grandmother at the time. Elaine says, “There would have been a disconnect on the emotional level of how to support her … she would have benefited from an organization like this. I’ll be dedicated to an organization like this, because she was amazing, and I don’t know what my life would have been like had my dad’s life been different, had his dad still been there”.
A Cascade of Gratitude
If the last two years have taught me anything it is how fortunate I’ve been. I live in what is arguably the best country in the world. I’ve been blessed with a loving family and friends who support and energize me. As the Director, Fundraising & Partnerships at Threads of Life I’m grateful to be able to contribute to our mission, helping families who are living in the aftermath of workplace tragedy to heal, and promoting the elimination of life-altering workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.
Ready, set….GO REGISTER!
Steps for Life walks are all open for registration! Threads of Life is taking every step to ensure a safe event is hosted across the country. Not only will you be able to choose where and how you walk, but we are also aiming to have a “paperless” walk event on walk day.
“I knew in my heart that something was wrong”
It is a huge understatement to say that the grief journey is difficult and hard to travel. What we hope for those affected by workplace tragedy is that they find a support network of family and friends, find ways to honour their loss and to learn to trust in their resiliency. Loss changes us and grief doesn’t ever leave us entirely. However love doesn’t end either. Love will always remain.
In the blink of an eye
Nicky was our cherished son, our only child. He was a very special blessing. You see, it took some time before I was able to have a child; then, later in my pregnancy I developed toxemia and needed to be hospitalized. The concern was that Nicky might be born premature due to the toxicity, resulting in the possibility of his lungs not being fully developed (among other concerns). After 30 days of being hospitalized, in the early morning hours of May 24, 1990 I hemorrhaged and an emergency C-section needed to be performed. Thankfully, we both survived the trauma. Nicholas Joseph Micieli was born healthy, lungs fully developed. I knew he was a very special gift right from the start.
A wedding day without a father
This is a story of a wedding day with a piece missing – the father of the groom. It’s the story of a son who never knew his father.
Using Expressive Arts to heal from grief and loss
Expressive art is all about the process of making art, not the finished product. It is a practice that invites people to respond creatively to things that matter.
Missing Jamie
I first heard of Jamie’s death on the radio on my way home from work. They said that a young man from Lower Sackville had died on a jobsite in Cape Breton. I thought: wonder who that was and if I knew them … never thinking that it could have been Jamie.
A New Year… and New Faces!
Threads of Life is delighted to welcome two new members to our small but mighty staff team. Shari Hinz lives in Saskatchewan and is our new Regional Development Coordinator (RDC) for Western Canada. Christine Kennedy-Babineau, from New Brunswick, takes over as Regional Development Coordinator for Atlantic Canada and Quebec. They join Lorna Catrambone, our Central Canada RDC. Threads of Life’s RDCs work closely with volunteers and partners in their regions to advance our mission. As we get to know Shari and Christine, we thought you’d like to learn a bit about them too. I asked each of them to share a bit about themselves.
