02/05/2025

We are so honoured and grateful to be among the charities selected for a VHI Women’s Mini Marathon Charity Spotlight in 2026. Read more about the impact of choosing Anam Cara as your 2026 Women’s Mini Marathon charity partner, and all the ways you can keep Anam Cara running for years to come.

From Humble Origins to Island-Wide Connections

Anam Cara has humble beginnings. A small group of mums who had experienced the unimaginable death of a child coming together once a month to make space for their grief, to share advice, and to share something even more powerful: the knowledge they weren’t alone. They listened deeply to one another without needing to explain, were able to be strong for one another on the hard days– the anniversaries and birthdays where the absence of their beloved children was felt most sorely– and realized something special was forming between them. A soul friendship, anam cara.

From these simple gatherings, Anam Cara, has grown the island-wide charity we are honoured to be today. The circle widened into a space for all bereaved parents to open up, where they could tell their stories, or not if one chose, cry, and yes at times laugh, talk about the impact of loss, on their lives, and their families, and all without judgement or fear of upsetting others. We recognize that parental grief is different, and that what many parents need most is to feel heard, for the uniqueness of their journey to be seen. Now Anam Cara has a strong network running the length and breadth of the island. Our Volunteer Parents sit at the heart of the organisation, growing from that initial small group of mums to include parents from every corner of the island, with a vast array of identities and experiences. That peer-to-peer support is the very essence of Anam Cara. That support is key to what makes us who we are and our services unique for bereaved parents.

Anam Cara’s Impact: Building a More Grief-Aware and Compassionate Ireland

While we are so incredibly honoured to journey with bereaved parents and provide them the peer-to-peer support that is so essential, our reach extends far beyond those who need our services today. We collaborate with other bereavement support charities from the Irish Hospice Foundation to HUGG to A Little Lifetime and Féileacáin to raise awareness and support for grieving families– regardless of the age of the child, the circumstances of their death, or time since bereavement. We also offer professional development and workshops to frontline workers: nurses, teachers, social care workers, counsellors, Gardai, etc. When these people inevitably are faced with providing comfort to bereaved parents, they know how to help– and where to turn. Our work helps ensure a more grief-aware Ireland, more connected and supportive communities, and resilience in those at the front lines of loss.

Where Success Means Support is Always Here

We are sometimes asked to share a success story that really represents what we do. For Anam Cara, there is not ‘bell to ring’ at the end of the journey. The death of a child is something families live with for their entire lives. Grief ebbs and flows like the sea, even years after loss. Some days will still feel tsunami-like. There is no getting over grief.

But we have seen lives transformed by the companionship provided by Anam Cara, again and again. It is incredible to see the proof that is it possible to get through even the most devastating grief, shown by the strength of our community every day. Parents who once were only able to pull themselves out of bed once a week to meet with each other have been able to become Volunteer Parents, able to share their wisdom and experience with those whose grief is just as sharp as theirs once was.

Why Anam Cara for WMM?

Being part of the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is such a vital experience for us, year after year. It brings us back to those afternoons before our founding– a group of women who truly understand one another, joining together in shared purpose, overcoming shared challenges, and proving that we are strongest together. Today, some of our WMM runners are bereaved parents, some are supporters of Anam Cara, and some are enthusiastic runners who have found a cause that adds meaning to each step they take along the way. However these incredible women find themselves at the finish line, the support and energy that comes from this group is just incredible.

Our mission is to foster an Ireland where no bereaved parent has to grieve alone. The Vhi WMM not only creates a space to receive that support while grieving, but to raise awareness of Anam Cara. Being able to run through the streets of Dublin proudly in an Anam Cara shirt shows every runner and spectator that there is support out there, and that there is a strength within bereaved parents that will carry them through the greatest challenges.

If you are among the 28,000 incredible women taking part in the race and you are looking for a meaningful way to make your run, walk, jog, or stroll all the more impactful, visit iDonate’s Women Mini Marathon page and choose Anam Cara as your cause.

Not taking part in the Women’s Mini Marathon? Your donation can still make a profound difference in the lives of grieving parents and families across Ireland. Talk to our Fundraising Manager Tasha Quinn about all the ways to fundraise with Anam Cara or make a donation today!