Emma
Emma is the mother of Aislynn and Tait who were both born with a rare degenerative neurological condition. Aislynn is now 19. Tait died peacefully, at 15 years of age, in November, 2019. They live in Ottawa, Ontario.
Videos
How my understanding of pediatric palliative care shifted
My son Tait taught me so much in his short life
My extended family's grief
Pediatric palliative care supported my grief
Tait planned two celebrations of his life--one for before he died and one for after he died
Being referred to pediatric palliative care
My grief built up throughout my children's lives
Helping Aislinn grieve her brother's death
I've learned that I don't have any control over grief
We show Aislinn that it's okay and important to express feelings
When you learn to live with grief, love comes flooding back
Tears travel
It's wonderful when friends share memories and photos
How Tait will live on
How we helped Tait with his worries about dying
Talking about the really hard questions
It gave Tait great comfort to be involved in his care planning
What pediatric palliative care hospice has done for our family
Grief and isolation during COVID
I needed to slow down and learn from my kids
My kids really thrived in a community of their peers where people understood their differences
Balancing safety with Aislinn's need to live her best life during COVID
How hope changes over time