Vanessa’s Trek in support of Grief Encounter

When I lost my dad at 25 my life has never become the same. I can only imagine how earth shattering the loss of a loved one for a young child would be. Healing and understanding your grief is something we don't really talk about in society which can result in feeling misunderstood and isolated.

When I lost my dad, I was working on set only a few weeks after. While I was doing my best to pretend I was okay at work, I felt extreme sadness every day. I wouldn't know how I would've coped hadn't there been my work that I was passionate about.

Finding your way back into a somewhat normal life is challenging, but it helps to connect with people who you feel safe enough to open up to. Grief Encounter provides just that, the compassion and understanding during the hardest time of your life thus far. Being outdoors and mindful helps to navigate through this journey as well and I am proud to take part in the trek to fundraise and hopefully be a role model to children who are going through it, for them to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Raising funds will help a child to seek guidance through counselling or activities so that the trauma they've experienced won't impact their lives negatively forever.