Use the fuel of grief

Tools for finding hope along the journey: Use the fuel of grief


There is a period of time early in grief where the pain is so intense that it feels like we are being crushed by it. The early years of grieving is exhausting. But there is another side to grief and that is the energy that can be derived from the pain. There are so many organizations that have been founded by pain. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a prime example where a bereaved mother was driven to get laws passed that would protect others. Other laws, stop lights, emergency phones on bridges or parks have been built with the passion and drive of the bereaved. The pain does not have to permanently crush us.

Artwork by Tanya Lord
About the Artist

Tanya Lord was a special education teacher when Noah died. After his death she read The Institute of Medicine’s report To Err Is Human and realized that the errors responsible for her son’s death were not unique. This created a desire and determination to better understand and work towards improving health care. Currently she has completed a master’s degree in public health and a PhD in clinical and population health research and is completing a post-doctoral fellowship. Lord shares her personal and professional experiences in presentations and workshops for medical staff and students focusing on the importance of effective communication with patients before and after an error. She also is a co-founder of The Grief Toolbox (www.thegrieftoolbox.com), which offers tools to help those along the grief journey. Lord may be contacted at [email protected]