‘Amy is exactly the person we needed when we lost our precious son Joe’
Parents of tragic teenager welcome new role dedicated to helping fellow bereaved families
BEREAVED families mourning the loss of a child will benefit from the support of a dedicated officer, thanks to The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust ( JHMT).
This post has been funded by the charity to ensure families who have lost a child at Leicester’s hospitals have clear support in the months that follow.
JHMT was set up by Joe’s parents, Steve and Angie, after his death while out jogging with a friend in October 2012.
Childhood bereavement liaison officer Amy Stacey said: “The death of a child and its impact on the family and staff involved can be profound.
“My role is to liaise with services on the family’s behalf and act as their listening ear.
“I will help them navigate their way through processes but also with any referrals for formal support – essentially providing what Joe’s parents described as a helping hand during this difficult time.”
Steve and Angie said: “Following the death of a much-loved child, it is impossible to take on board any information which is received in the immediate aftermath of the loss.
“The death itself is just too huge to process, let alone being able to absorb anything else.
“Amy is exactly the person we needed when we lost our precious son Joe.
“We are delighted that the trust – through the amazing work of our supporters - has enabled her vital role.”
Leicester Hospitals charity director Lisa Davies said: “We’d like to sincerely thank The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust and all of its supporters for helping to fund this important post.
“For those families facing the unthinkable, having a compassionate, informed person like Amy to lean on for support will help to take away some of the additional worries and stresses put on bereaved families during the most difficult of times.”
Following the death of a much-loved child, it is impossible to take on board any information which is received in the immediate aftermath of the loss