Bereavement

The Leaver family

Jocelyn, affectionately known as Jossie to her family and friends, fought high-risk neuroblastoma since her diagnosis in November 2017. She was a wonderful daughter and a fun-loving sister. Her cheerful and kind nature, and her beaming smile and positivity continue to inspire others. Jossie passed away when she was six years old in 2019.

Jossie’s mum, Cassie, describes how Solving Kids’ Cancer UK has supported the family since Jossie passed away, the legacy that Jossie leaves and what they hope to see in terms of bereavement support in the future:

“Solving Kids’ Cancer UK has been a constant in our lives over the last four years since Jossie's death. They supported us from an emotional and practical perspective, they’ve provided much-needed support when we've organised fundraising events, invited us to their family events, facilitated connections with other families, included us in their campaigns and initiatives and are always at the end of the phone or email if we need them."

“Above all, they've made us feel like we're still part of the Solving Kids’ Cancer UK family, and they never forget our little girl. For that, we'll always be so grateful."

Solidarity and inspiration

“Being parents of a child who died from cancer is an incredibly lonely club to be in. While our friends and family are wonderful, without the support of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK, that loneliness would have been even greater.

“The charity has given us solidarity and inspiration when we've needed it most and, on a personal level, I regularly look to a number of the wonderful parents who work at Solving Kids’ Cancer UK and draw so much strength from everything they do on a daily basis. Despite what trauma they've also all been through, they continue to support others and genuinely make a huge difference to people's lives. Because of these individuals, we know we're going to be ok."

Bereavement support

“Solving Kids’ Cancer UK has always played it just right when it comes to the frequency, tone and content of its support. We're very lucky that we chose this charity and it felt the right fit for us as a family. However, grief and bereavement are still very difficult to talk about and navigate for so many of us.

“While I acknowledge each family's experiences are different, receiving the right amount of information of the resources available and opportunities to talk honestly and openly about what to expect would be helpful from the outset. Losing a child is a lifetime of pain, so that bereavement support should be available and communicated to parents and siblings for many years to come, not just in the immediate aftermath of the child's death."

Jossie’s legacy

“Every single thing we do, and every decision we make, has Jossie in mind."

"We're determined to keep her memory alive, ensure her legacy lives on and continue to fundraise for Solving Kids’ Cancer UK."

"Along with friends and family, we have organised events, ran marathons and organised a charity ball in Jossie's memory. Most notably, was 'Jossie's Posse' when, back in Sept 2021, a team of over 80 of us took part in a 25km trek across the Thames' Bridges.

“We will continue to do what we can to support Solving Kids’ Cancer UK in a bid to pay back the enormous support they've given to us. Since Jossie's death, Stewart has continued to take an active interest in the charity, becoming a member of the Parent Involvement Forum, and wants to use his experiences to help inform the charity's approach to supporting parents and families.

"We never fail to talk to Dougie everyday about his wonderful sister and how proud she would be of him. No matter how many years pass by, Jossie will always be with us and we will always be Team Leaver."