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Leaning on compassion and understanding right now and for years to come
Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Threads of Life. That’s 20 years of continued support for families affected by a workplace tragedy. Over the years we have met with many families and will continue to grow and develop opportunities where families can find comfort and heal.
World Mental Health Day: Making Mental Health a Global Priority at Work
Mental health has never had more attention than in the years since the first wave of lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety, isolation, pandemic fatigue, grief, insomnia, disconnection, Zoom fatigue, depression, trauma, and substance abuse are all experiences that have been widely shared and discussed — as it seemed everyone was struggling with some aspect of their mental health.
Six reasons you should become a Steps for Life sponsor
Steps for Life sponsors come in all shapes and sizes – and every one of them makes a difference to health and safety and the lives of people affected by workplace tragedy.
Coping in the wake of tragedy
Young paramedic finds help to deal with PTSD By Michael Johnson If you had asked me what I wanted to do after graduation it was a quick answer. I wanted to be a paramedic. Little did I know this decision would change my life in ways I could never imagine, for better...
Tissues are available, and your tears are welcome
Why do we cry? Scientists have been trying to answer that question for centuries. Most researchers believe that emotional tears – triggered by strong feelings such as joy, grief, sadness – are unique to humans. Crying serves as an important indication to ourselves and others about the emotions we are experiencing.
Ontario Petroleum Contractors’ Association: Sharing the message and the mission
The strongest partnerships are built on a foundation of shared values and goals. Threads of Life is lucky to have many such strong partnerships. We have been working with the Ontario Petroleum Contractors’
Association (OPCA) for a decade, and are honoured to continue to build and strengthen this relationship. OPCA’s executive director Michelle Rae shared a little bit about how the partnership began and what it means to OPCA.
Volunteer Profile: Treena Dixon
When you look for a role model who embodies the definition of community engagement and commitment, Treena Dixon is someone who demonstrates that in many ways. Treena has been involved as a volunteer with Threads of Life since 2011, after moving to the Red Deer region in 2009, serving in numerous roles including co-Chair of the Steps for Life Red Deer committee.
Writing your story for healing and sharing
I have a confession: as a writer, I get a little sick of the word “share”. We use it all the time, after all – we’re always encouraging family members to share their stories. It’s right there in our Threads of Life values! It’s also core to our programs – family members share their stories when they’re paired with a volunteer family guide; they’re encouraged to share experiences at family forums, and there’s always an opportunity for personal sharing during our FamiliesConnect workshops.
Forty years does not lessen the heartache
On February 24, 1979, 16 miners entered No. 26 Colliery in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, to begin their shift. They were working the night shift 11pm to 7am. They descended five and a half miles into the No. 12 South wall of the mine, almost 2500 feet below the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The No. 26 Colliery was the biggest coal producer in the local area for many years and was owned by the Cape Breton Development Corporation, also known as DEVCO.
From safety professionals to families of workplace tragedy, with love
This past April, Threads of Life’s Executive Director Shirley Hickman shared her story at the What If One Health and Safety Forum (WIO) in Vancouver, in a session titled “One Voice Can Make a Difference”. Organizers of the event gave participants a unique opportunity to make a $25 donation in exchange for two Safety and Health Week T-shirts — one to keep and one to use to send a message to a Threads of Life family member – someone who was living with the reality of an on-the-job injury, illness, or fatality. Gabe Guetta, CEO of Salus
Ryan Durling, 21
Ryan was the youngest of three and loved his siblings dearly. He was closest in age to his brother, Mitchell and they were inseparable when they were young. The two could always be found out searching for mud holes with the four wheelers in the summer and hunting rabbits in the winter.
What I’ve learned about Self-Care as a Caregiver and as a Griever
Self-care is one of the most important things I learned as I moved through caring for my husband after he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma. I felt blessed to be able to be there to help with the care for nearly a decade but it wasn’t without cost.
