Amelie & Claire’s 565 Service Story

Every year St Elizabeth Hospice cares for more than 4,000 patients and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney. This care sees the independent Suffolk charity providing free services – whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice – to those living with a progressive or life-limiting illness.

As well as clinical care, we provide a range of emotional and wellbeing support through our bereavement support service, LivingGrief. Via face-to-face consultations or phone and video call support

Part of the hospice’s bereavement service, LivingGrief, the 565 Service gives emotional support to children, young people and families living with a family member with a progressive illness.

Operating in the East Suffolk area, the service also provides bereavement support following the loss of a loved one via family meetings, one-to-one counselling and group work.

One family who has benefited from the 565 Service is the Dorman family. Claire Dorman explains:

“My daughter, Amelie, receives support from the 565 Service, following the death of her dad and my husband – James Dorman, who also received care from the hospice.

“The 565 Service is incredible and has an amazing impact on young people during the difficult times in their lives.

“It offers a very gentle approach to grief. It’s therapy, but not in the traditional sense, and it’s something Amelie genuinely looks forward to.

“Amelie really loves the 565 team, and their support has made a real difference to her. They’ve helped her express and understand her feelings in a way that doesn’t feel like counselling, using toys and activities to make it approachable.

“She has had support from the 565 Service at school, in one-to-one sessions and in group sessions they have held, and each format has been beneficial.

“She especially loves the group sessions. Amelie used to tell me her friends were brilliant and supportive, but they didn’t quite understand how she felt, which was sometimes hard for her. Through the group sessions, she has met other young people experiencing similar things, making new friends at the same time – which has been lovely to see.

“In these sessions, they’ve used arts, crafts, and activities to express their feelings. For example, they created memory jars. It is just a creative and non-intimidating way to approach grief and it has really helped Amelie talk more openly about her feelings.

“While for myself, the group sessions have also been invaluable. I’ve connected with other parents and adults going through similar experiences. We’ve built a small support network and keep in touch through a WhatsApp group to help one another outside of the group sessions.

“Overall, the hospice’s LivingGrief service for adults and the 565 Service for children are both brilliant. I could never have been prepared for how grief would impact me, but the support and guidance from the hospice has been so important for our family.”

Amelie Dorman added: “The hospice have been really supportive because they have done lots of things that have cheered me up and helped me when I’m feeling sad about losing Daddy.

“The sunflower group really helps me to know other people that have been through the same thing as me, because it helped me to know I’m not alone and there are other people who understand what it’s like.

“I really enjoyed Sam (from the 565 Service) coming to visit me at school, because we played nice games and she taught me things I can do when I feel upset about Daddy and I still do them now. Like the hand breathing exercise which I do when I feel really sad or worried or angry about anything.

“Sam and Sarah (from the 565 Service) were really kind and funny and made me feel like I could just be myself whenever I was with them at the sunflower group.”

To learn more about the 565 Service visit: www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/our-care/livinggrief-bereavement-support/565-service-children-support/