Lesleah’s Story

 

My name is Lesleah. 7 years ago, my youngest son Sam died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep.

When a child dies your life is suddenly split into two parts. Before and after. The person you were before your child died suddenly becomes unrecognisable and the person you are left with is a stranger.

Sids and Kids SA was referred to me by one of the local police officers who had to attend the hospital the morning Sam died. That referral saved my life. The person I was left with was literally walking the corridors of the hospital – a total stranger to myself, asking anyone who would see me… ‘What am I supposed to do now?’. The faces looking back at me had no idea what to say or do – most of them were also affected by Sam’s death and were friends of mine.

Dorothy, a professional grief counsellor from SIDS and Kids SA arrived in my home soon after and knew how to start the process of bereavement counselling, at the very least in those early days she knew how to provide support to those who were supporting me.

Over the years Dorothy and other staff at Sids and Kids SA have become more than counsellors to me, they have become friends, a voice of reason, sharers in memories and moments. They have helped me choose the graceful path in grief and to not only survive but learn that even through devastating loss…thriving is possible.

SIDS and Kids SA provide Grief Counselling Services to families who have experienced the loss of an infant or child up to the age of 6 years old, including miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, drownings, road fatalities and sudden illness with no government funding. This means they rely entirely on donations to provide life-saving services.

I am once again running for SIDS and Kids SA through “Running for Sam”, completing 100km’s. Your support means everything to the team at SIDS and Kids SA so that they can continue to provide support to those such as myself and the families affected by the sudden death of a child.

Dorothy has ended her conversations with me with many wise quotes over the years but none more poignant than this – ‘Lesleah, I am so pleased to know you but I wish we’d never met’

I am eternally grateful for the support of SIDS and Kids SA, for the support of my family and friends, the community, and again for asking you to join me in raising much-needed funds. The saddest truth is…. many will need to meet with Dorothy and the team at SIDS and Kids SA. I wish they weren’t needed but I am so grateful they are.