23.09.2025

How do we come together to do the impossible and be ready to meet parents in their grief before they need Anam Cara? We are always looking into new avenues for connection and collaboration so our communities are aware of Anam Cara– so we can be ready to meet the needs of grieving parents and families. This past week, our CEO Michelle Reynolds was able to foster those key relationships with nurses from across Ireland who are supporting children with life-limiting conditions (CLLC) and their families. 

As part of CHI Crumlin’s continuing education programme for paediatric nurses, the Centre of Children’s Nurse Education provides a wide range of programmes that are relevant, based on best evidence, and are responsive to emerging children’s healthcare needs. Led by Nurse Tutor Lynn Howard, this was an incredible opportunity to meet the nurses who journey alongside families through and beyond the loss of a child with life-limiting conditions. The commitment, honesty, compassion, and expertise of these professionals is truly remarkable– and we are grateful to stand alongside them in ensuring no bereaved parent in Ireland has to walk this path alone.

Michelle wrote that she was “deeply inspired by the engaging discussion and case study sharing,” and shares the following reflections and insights:

1. The impact of presence: Families remember the small but deeply human ways nurses walk with them, often long after medical details fade. This reinforced how much simply being there matters, even when there are no easy answers.
2. The gaps families face after loss: Time and again, while hospital care may be exceptional, families can feel adrift once they return home. This is where organisations like Anam Cara step in – extending the circle of support beyond clinical care.
3. The power of connection: Nurses recognise that while they cannot take away the pain, they can signpost families to safe spaces where bereaved parents meet others who truly understand. This peer-to-peer model, central to remains a lifeline for so many.
4. Collaboration is key: Like the many organisations we collaborate with and signpost to, healthcare professionals and Anam Cara share the same goal – ensuring no family is left isolated in their grief. Strengthening these links will mean more parents find the support they need at the right time. We are delighted to be able to signpost to organisations like FirstLight, Hugg, Barnardos, A Little Lifetime, Feileacain, Jacinta’s Smile, Irish Hospice Foundation, and so many more too.

Our most heartfelt thanks to the incredible nurses, Lynn Howard, the Centre of Children’s Nurse Education, CHI Crumlin, and every partner in our work supporting all parents in their grief following the death of a child. In our collaboration, we endeavour to ensure that families are never alone on this journey.