Stories shared are our most precious gift.

Tools for finding hope along the journey: Encouraging the stories


It is a deep seated fear that others will forget our loved ones. They will seem to have moved on with their lives and no longer mention their names. So often it is that they do not want to "remind" us or upset us. We can encourage them by explaining that there is no reminding us that they have died...we know that with every breath. We need to let them know that the stories shared are our most precious gift.

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]