This Christmas, you can help children like Esme. When eight-year-old Esme’s beloved Nanny spent her final days at St Luke’s in March 2024, the care was wonderful - but the gap she left behind after she died was huge.
Esme shared a deep bond with her Nanny and often felt overwhelmed with emotion. Esme's Mum Lisa attended the St Luke’s group counselling sessions to help manage her own grief, which is where she heard about the new Children’s Bereavement Group and its Art Therapy sessions. The group sounded like it could help Esme and give her a way to express her emotions in a safe, creative environment.
Esme joined the group and met with other children going through the same thing as her. Together they enjoyed crafts, games and even created their own ‘worry monsters’; a cuddly toy/doll designed to help children manage their anxiety, fears and allow them to express concerns to a supportive, non-judgemental ‘friend’.
“I would write down my worries and post them into my monster’s mouth to share my problems,” said Esme.
The group also created a ‘worry box’ where children could post their feelings anonymously or choose to have them read out. The group also taught them how to talk about their feelings, and how talking to someone who is going through something similar can help you to feel better.
“All the arts and crafts made me forget about feeling sad,” said Esme. “Sometimes I like to keep my feelings a secret, but sometimes I like to express them so I can get them out of me and feel better. When the other children said their feelings out loud, it made me want to do it too.”
Reflecting on the past year, Esme’s Mum can see the difference St Luke’s has made to Esme’s understanding of her loss, as well as her own. “Esme was very close with my Mum, and this seemed like the perfect outlet for her to express her feelings,” said Mum Lisa.
“I notice fewer occasions now of her getting upset, and when she does, she can find a way to cope. She has even learned how to reassure me when I’m struggling.” And through their positive experience, Lisa and her family are determined to share their story to support St Luke’s future, and encourage others to do the same.
Esme is sharing her story as part of our 2025 Christmas Appeal. Earlier this year, we launched our new Children and Young People’s Bereavement Service. This new initiative gives children and young people aged 5-16, who have been affected by the death of a loved one at St Luke’s, access to tailored bereavement counselling and art therapy.
Over the next five years, we want to become a leading provider of children’s bereavement support in Sheffield; ensuring that no child faces grief alone. However, as a charity, we need your help to do this.
Your gift this Christmas could contribute towards a ‘Worry Monster’, designed to help children manage their anxiety and fears, or towards art materials to help children understand and express their grief through art. Your support could also contribute to counselling sessions for a child who has recently been bereaved.
By donating to St Luke’s Christmas Appeal, you’re not just helping children through today’s grief, you are supporting and nurturing them for their future.
To find out more and donate today, visit www.stlukeshospice.org.uk/christmas