Grief & Bereavement
Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child
Losing a child to congenital heart disease is an unimaginable heartbreak — a loss no parent ever expects to face. If you are grieving your child, please know that you are not alone. Heart Beats is a grass-roots non-profit organization, not a medical provider, and our mission is to offer guidance, compassion, and connections to supportive resources for families coping with CHD. For over 30 years, Heart Beats has provided emotional support to families navigating the challenges of pediatric heart illness, including bereaved families who have lost their child to heart disease. We understand that parents and siblings alike need gentle support as they find their way through grief, and we are here to help with trusted information and a caring community.
Please Remember: The insights below are for general guidance. They do not replace professional medical or mental health advice from your care team.
Trusted Online Resources
Finding support after the death of a child can feel overwhelming. The resources we are recommending are by Alberta health professionals and reputable Canadian organizations. They are not a substitute for personal counseling or medical care, however, they can help you understand your grief and connect with others who have been through a similar loss. We’ve highlighted resources for both parents and siblings, with a focus on services in Calgary and Alberta.
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A organization dedicated to helping people connect to support after infertility, pregnancy loss or infant loss.
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They work with children, teens, and their families using individual or family counselling and group support to help them gain the tools they need to face grief.
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A free online resource that helps parents support their children when someone in their life is dying or has died. It equips parents with the words and confidence needed to help children grieve life’s losses in healthy ways.
Recommended Books & Publications
Heart Beats encourages families to explore a few gentle books written for those grieving the loss of a child. These resources share expert guidance and the experiences of others who have walked a similar path, which can help you feel understood and less alone. However, please remember to use these books as companions to professional support, not as replacements for counseling or therapy. Every family’s journey is unique, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve – take what resonates and seek additional help when needed.
The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child
A compassionate guide that offers insight into life after a child’s death. This book helps bereaved families understand what they are feeling and find hope that healing is possible.
A Broken Heart Still Beats: After Your Child Dies
An anthology of poems, essays, and literature from bereaved parents and writers (from Mark Twain to modern voices). This collection explores the shock, grief, and search for meaning that come with losing a child. Many parents find comfort in these diverse perspectives, realizing their feelings are shared by others across time.
Never Too Young to Know: Death in Children's Lives
Drawing on real stories and research, Phyllis Rolfe Silverman shows that grief is a natural part of life—and with support and honest communication, children can process loss in healthy, meaningful ways.
The Grieving Child: A Parent’s Guide
A practical, heartfelt guidebook for helping surviving children cope with the death of a sibling or loved one. This resource offers compassionate advice and concrete suggestions for parents to support a grieving child of any age. It can be especially useful for understanding a bereaved sibling’s needs and emotions as your family heals together.
The Invisible String
Recommended and adopted by parenting blogs, bereavement support groups, hospice centers, foster care and social service agencies, military library services, church groups, and educators, The Invisible String offers a very simple approach to overcoming loneliness, separation, or loss with an imaginative twist that children easily understand and embrace, and delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times.
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
The authors explain in simple language the feelings people may have regarding the death of a loved one and the ways to honor the memory of someone who has died.
Living Dying: A Guide for Adults Supporting Grieving Children and Teenagers
Based on real clinical experience with families facing palliation, dying, death and grief, Living Dying explores common fears and struggles in a question-and-answer format. It provides clear, concrete suggestions to help you talk about illness and death with young people, include them in the care of the dying, and maintain a meaningful connection after a loved one has died.
Please Note: Heart Beats is not affiliated with Amazon or any other retailer and does not receive commissions from book sales; we include links solely to help families access useful resources.
Need help finding more information?
Heart Beats is here to answer your questions, share trusted resources, and offer a compassionate ear. Reach out today, and we’ll help you navigate every step.
