Jacintas's Smile – Sibling Bereavement Support

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Programme of Upcoming Free Events

Free creative workshops for children and adults whom have lost a sibling above the age of 12 months.

Magic and mayhem with RTE`s AbraKIDabra’s captivating and spell-bounding Joe Daly

Saturday 28^th of March

Parent`s information evening. In partnership with Anam Cara.

End of March TBC.

Creating Kindness in Mindfulness with Louise Shanagher.

Saturday 24^th of March (4-14 year olds) and Sunday 25^th March (15-18+)

Loss through a pandemic – for the siblings we lost during Covid.

Saturday 23^rd of May (18+)

Recharge you – Yoga therapy with Dearbhla.

Saturday June 12^th (3 – 12 year olds) and Sunday 13^th(13 – 25 year olds)

Adventure day in Wildlands, Galway.

Saturday August 28^th (6-25 year olds). Pending Government restrictions.

Click here to read more and sign up

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On our stories today I speak about how in my own g

On our stories today I speak about how in my own grief process i am beginning to slowly and gently look at Declan’s death and how that impacted my whole world.

Even as an organisation that speaks of children’s grief I feel we do not give it enough recognition to actually acknowledge how holding the still chest as a nine year old girl of her younger brother can bring absolute devastation, confusion and emptiness.

That emptiness and cold that I felt inside of him stayed with me and manifested in my relationships, my personality, my belief systems and also my passions.

That passion to not let a child go unnoticed. Passion for that child to be thought of, held and hugged.

The truth is when my little brother Declan died in front of me my heart and spirit like demeanour would never exist the same again.

Innocence lost in an instant.

Childhood stripped from my grasp.

If you are supporting a grieving child what may help is being there, simply your presence is huge.

That is why I believe we were able to keep moving with this. Our parents stayed present.

Also:
Hug them
Squeeze them
Lie beside them
Play with them
Walk beside them
Be silly with them
Be yourself with them.
Be open to having the tough conversations.
Be a child with them.
Dance with them

Simply by existing together you can learn to live, love and laugh yet again.

It is possible for a broken heart to coexist with a loving hopeful soul.

#grief #loss #hope #death #siblings #bereavement #family #love #laugh

The first of many of our Zoom events 👏🏼🥳🤩🙈

Magic and mind-reading with TVs Joe Daly ⚡️🪐🌪

This is a FREE event 👯‍♂️💃🏼

Screenshot this
Watsapp it
Email it
Save it
Comment
and please please do SHARE it 📌📌

This is for children and adults that have lost a sibling above 12months (due to limitation of our service)

All of us will be brought together to an online space to connect
To laugh
To be entertained
To sit back
To be supported
To distracted
To engage
To belong 🧩
And simply just to be with others that truly understand our grief without having to explain ourselves. 🤸🏼‍♀️

Check out our website for more upcoming events and to sign up ✏️✏️

We can’t wait to greet you all again and to meet new companions along the way to move with this grief 💫

#grief #loss #siblings #fun #magic #laughter #hope #joy #mixedfeelings #itsoktobeok #siblinglove #family #brother #sister

🤷‍♀️😌 #grief #loss #siblings #sibling

🤷‍♀️😌

#grief #loss #siblings #siblingloss #hope #family #change

I know that as a child I did not imagine that as I

I know that as a child I did not imagine that as I walked down the isle on my wedding day with my dad that I’d be incredibly sad and crying.

I stood at the back on the church and as the congregation turned to look at me I broke.

So did daddy.

All these people staring at us had been with us staring at us just two and three years previous to this as we walked down this isle behind Jacinta then Fintan’s coffin 🖤

All the brokenness came pouring in and I wanted to collapse to my knees and sob and shake.

It took everything in me to take the first step. Daddy beside me balling, grabbed my hand, so so tightly. That our hands began to become one. Squeezing eachother as we felt the pain inside the others hearts and with that cane the strength 💜

People talk about the lead up to a wedding be the best part and so exciting and so full of love.

For me, I didn’t like it. I wanted to throw the phone away when I got a message asking was I excited.

I wanted to write a sign across my forehead saying - “just because I’m getting married does not mean everything is ok now. I am angry, I am confused, I am disorganised, I am out of body, I am in shock, i can not feel love, I am scared, I am so so sad, I am grieving”.

Instead, ask me what it’s like not to have Jacinta by my side laughing or to have Fintan to write something and say it for my wedding.

It’s like the world thought all was well when inside my body was seething and I had just found my first patch of alopecia so I thought Cian was marrying a bald girl and that I’d lose him too 🥺

Loss follows loss is what they say.

I lost who I was.

And as we walked up to the top of the Isle to Cian - I felt found, peace and I felt safe. I was ok then.

When a person is grieving the immense loss of their person it’s so hard for anything else to feel ok.

As always everyone holds their precious grief so differently. If you do know someone that’s feeling their loss then don’t be afraid to ask them what they would like from you.

Happy 2 year anniversary Cian ❤️❤️💃🏼

And happy 40th anniversary to our parents 👏🏼👌🏻🥰

#grief #loss #siblings #siblingloss #wedding #hope #daddy #love

Date night for us and beach day for @charlotte_oto

Date night for us and beach day for @charlotte_otoole ❤️

Two very different worlds but each trying to make the best of a sad situation.

We can not wait to meet Amelia. Until then, it’s the little things like this that will get us through 💃🏼🕺🏼.

We all got this 👏🏼👌🏻

#grief #loss #siblinglove #siblingloss #hope #datenight #beachday #downunder

#siblingloss #grief #support #bereavement #hope #f

#siblingloss #grief #support #bereavement #hope #family #new

A poem for valentines from an 11 year old me just

A poem for valentines from an 11 year old me just before Declan died 🖤

I actually wrote it down on three pieces of paper so that I could leave it open around the house.

I wanted it to be seen but was afraid to ask anyone to read it.

So I’d sit hoping they would notice.

Again, this is sometimes how children are looking to be seen in their grief but don’t actually know how to ask.

Look out for the little things. The little signs. The pieces you think are not big are the big pieces for the child.

The fact my parents kept this shows that I was seen. Maybe I just didn’t know it at the time.

Sending valentines hearts to those that are feeling loss today ❤️.

#grief #loss #valentines #hope #emptyspace #siblings

Speak of the unspeakable- believe us. It really he

Speak of the unspeakable- believe us. It really helps so much to know what your loved one would want ✨

Whether they are ill or not does not matter right now. We didn’t have a warning with Jacinta or Fintan.

We guessed what they would have wanted and we feel we have been able to hold the ritual that they would have wanted.

We were also blessed to have An incredibly understanding priest that when we asked him not to say this is Gods way - he got it. He knew we were angry at burying our third sibling.

And we believe we represented them as best as we could have at the time.

However, it would always have been good to know exactly what they would have wanted.

I understand this is so hard for people to try to comprehend but believe me you won’t regret asking ✨

Thank you to @cancerwithgratitude for normalising this conversation 👏🏼😘

By the way, for me, its wild flowers every where and “Wailing Jenny’s - Light of a clear blue morning” 🙈🥰🙏🏼💫

#death #hope #grief #loss #siblingloss #siblings #family

#worldcancerday Declan fought a malignant brain tu

#worldcancerday Declan fought a malignant brain tumour at only age 6.

He was cheeky, funny and so incredibly loved by our mum and dad and ourselves and of course our extended families.

We imagine he’s listening to Guns n Roses and sumo wrestling with Fintan. Then will put on his roller blades and float from star to star with Jacinta 💫

Childhood cancer has so many lasting effects on the child themselves and the surrounding families.

Our thoughts are with you guys that are all going through your cancer treatment, no matter what the age that do not have the support that you should have right now.

The appointments on your own, not allowed visitors and having to cocoon even more so than others.

We send you warmth, hope and light to every ounce of courage that embodies you 🌾

You are with us and we with you, always 😌

#cancer #childhood #childhoodcancer #courage #pain #jhope

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