Grief

The festive season is about joy, celebration and togetherness. But when you’re grieving, it can feel unbearable. We look at Christmas through the collective voices of our young Kiwis and their whanau who are living with grief and the challenges this time of year brings.

Webinars

Christmas is a time of joy. Everywhere we look we’re encouraged to be cheery and bright, to spend up large on presents and food, to entertain, celebrate with family and friends, and spread boundless goodwill.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Stories

Asher’s mum died when he was 9 years old, and his grandma Janice knew that he needed some mental health support. Asher’s mum, Kate, died when he was nine years old. After his mum’s death, Asher was living with his grandma Janice. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Stories

When Zareena was diagnosed with a terminal degenerative genetic disease at the age of five, her parents knew her condition was incurable and that she would continue to deteriorate. They are dedicating themselves to her care and the whole family’s wellbeing in the present.

Stories

When Nora was three-and-a-half, her younger sister Lumi was born with a very rare heart defect. The Zilmer family was living in Europe at the time. Despite a positive prognosis, Lumi suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at three months old and was unable to be resuscitated.

Events

We reflect on the outcomes of our latest fundraising campaign: the Winter Swim Challenge. While fundraising is crucial for an organisation like Kenzie's Gift, the sense of community a campaign like this creates is just as important, and has far-reaching benefits.

Stories

Finding the words to explain death and grief to our tamariki / children can be really hard. Well-written books provide us with useful ways of framing the concepts of death and grief, which can support you in your discussions with your taitamaiti / child.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Grief

Grief is personal: it’s as unique as your fingerprint. But for some people, a good grief theory – one that resonates with you – can serve as a kind of roadmap; a way of making sense of what you’re going through and helping navigate it. Let’s take a look at some.

Serious illness

Having a seriously ill person in the family affects every aspect of life. You might be dealing with treatments and doctor’s appointments, caring for someone at home, taking care of tamariki / children or supporting your family financially – or all of the above.