Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
For 8 years I couldn’t accept my daughter was abused ...by then it was too late
Mum’s campaign after suicide
understood the truth. And when she died I didn’t know how I would live with myself.
“I felt such a lot of guilt – I still do.” But three days after Heather died, an email arrived from Amazon for Heather notifying her the reborn baby doll she wanted to order was in stock. Janice said: “I knew she had always wanted to have kids but she physically couldn’t and we had talked about her getting a reborn baby doll. I didn’t realise she had gone as far as to order one until the email came in.
“That’s when I had the idea to get a reborn baby for myself and use it to tell Heather’s story.”
Today Janice has two of the little baby dolls, Josie, a sleeping version, and Lexi who sits up and appears awake. She has a pram for Lexi and can be seen walking in shopping centres and along the streets of towns and villages on the Ards Peninsula.
For more information about Survivors of Suicide Support group call 028 9046 02901 or go to www.familysupportni.gov.uk/listing/ survivors-suicide-sos-support-group-belfast. Janice from Ballyhalbert, Co Down, explained: “It might be strange to some people but this is how I get people to stop and talk.
VOLUNTEER
“When they do I tell them all about Heather and tell them if they are ever feeling suicidal, I’m here to listen.
“I now volunteer collecting funds for Survivors of Suicide Support Group and I have a collection box in Lexi’s pram and an explanation about what I’m doing and permission from the charity. The reactions from people
If something’s troubling you call Samaritans Belfast at 02890 664422 (local call charges apply, National telephone: 116 123 (this number is free to call) or visit www.samaritans.org.
BALLYHALBERT WOMAN
change, some just wish me well and others will stop and talk for a long time. I tell them my daughter was abused as a child and when she told me I didn’t believe her.
“I tell them she took her own life as a result of all the pain she suffered and I explain that today my apology to Heather and my love her for is demonstrated with Lexi and the fundraising and awareness campaign.
“It’s all I can do for Heather now. I don’t want her life to have been in vain. I feel my Heather’s story will save a life one day.
“She couldn’t save herself and I couldn’t save her, but together now we might manage to save someone else.”