WE all experience grief in our lives – whether it be through the loss of a loved one, a serious diagnosis, family breakdown or sudden change.
However, it can be especially overwhelming for children who may struggle to understand or express their feelings.
Recognising this challenge, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service social worker Emily Bodenmann has created A Very Big Feeling – a thoughtfully written and illustrated children’s book designed to help children and families learn how to cope with grief and begin important conversations during difficult times.
The book supports children experiencing grief across a wide range of situations, including end of life, the death of a friend or loved one, a difficult diagnosis, bullying and other life‑changing events.
Already in use throughout Cairns Hospital, A Very Big Feeling has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from healthcare staff, children and families – prompting the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation to contribute to a print run to help reach more families across the region.
Mrs Bodenmann said the idea for the book came about through supporting a family experiencing end of life, and recognising the children in the family required special support.
“I wrote and illustrated it with that family in mind initially, but grief is something that we all struggle with in life. Many adults have told me they find the book supportive because the simpler language and illustrations are a helpful way of exploring something as big and as complex as grief,” Mrs Bodenmann said.
The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation was honoured to support the book’s publication by assisting with printing costs, in conjunction with Lotsa Printing.
Foundation CEO Gina Hogan said the book filled an important gap in how children are supported through grief.
“Grief can be incredibly complex, particularly for children who don’t yet have the words to describe what they’re feeling,” Mrs Hogan said. “A Very Big Feeling is a gentle, compassionate resource that helps children make sense of big emotions while supporting families to have meaningful conversations at an incredibly vulnerable time,” she said.
Further community support would help ensure the book could be shared more broadly across Far North Queensland.
“With the support of our community, we can print and distribute these books across every ward at Cairns Hospital and into rural and remote communities, so more children and families can access comfort and understanding when they need it most.”
Donations to support the Grief Support Books project are now open via https://bit.ly/FNQHFGriefBook
