Reach Out, Support the Grief Journey

When someone we know is faced with grief, we can often find ourselves at a loss for words. We may be unsure of how to support our friends, family, or colleagues who are going through this difficult journey. But here’s the truth: You have the power to make sure they are not facing their grief alone. From close or far, your actions can provide solace and connection at a time in their life when they need it most.

National Grief and Bereavement Day 2023, on November 21st, calls upon all of us to reach out and to walk alongside those around us on their grief journey. It’s a day to take action, to be present for someone who needs your support, even when words fail.

For those of you who may feel uncomfortable with grief, who never quite know what to say, or are uncertain about what to do to help, there are things you can do, big or small, that can make a world of difference. We’ll provide you with simple yet impactful ideas that show how you can be a helping hand for someone in your life who is grieving.

Reaching out with simple gestures of kindness can make a profound impact. Small but thoughtful actions can bridge the gap between isolation and healing. Even when it feels as though there’s nothing you can say, your actions can speak volumes to the people in your life who are navigating grief and loss. 

Together, let’s break the silence surrounding grief. Let’s walk alongside those around us on a journey with grief. Join us on National Grief and Bereavement Day as we collectively learn to reach out, offering genuine support and compassion to those around us.

Share your experiences with grief on social media with the hashtags #Grief2023 and #ReachOut

Campaign Kit

2023 National Grief and Bereavement Day Image

Share online, on social media, or print and display!

Social Media Images

Share helpful tips and suggestions to help support those in your life who are grieving.

Poster

Show your support by printing or sharing the campaign poster!

Canva Template

Show your support by using your own photos in the Reach Out photo frame on Canva!

Download the full campaign kit

2023 National Grief and Bereavement Day Campaign Kit

Download the full bilingual campaign kit for National Grief and Bereavement Day.

Grief and Bereavement Resources Repository

This repository of grief and bereavement resources is a collection of useful links and resources to help you and your loved ones cope with grief. Please note, this page will be updated on regular bases with new and other suggested resources. 

If you would like to add other resources to our repository, please contact [email protected] and we will update the repository with you suggested resource.

The Saying Goodbye Concert - November 14, 2021

Nominated for the Outstanding Digital Live Music Event award - Canadian Live Music Industry Awards

The Saying Goodbye Concert was a national virtual and in-person concert held on November 14 with performers from across each province and territory, in honour and awareness of National Grief and Bereavement Day on November 16, 2021. The concert provided a time and place to grieve for loved ones lost during COVID-19 as the pandemic prevented many from engaging in the usual process of letting go. 

Hosted by Tara Shannon, the concert includes performances from Canadian performing artists including Johnny Reid, Gregory Charles, John McDermott, Michelle Wright, Fred Penner, Jenn Grant, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Ray Legere and many more. 

Did you miss the 2021 concert? Want to watch it again? Find the recording available for FREE above!

Shine by Ambre McLean and the students from Smiths Falls Music

Shine

Grief - The art of living after your heart is ripped out of your body

Excerpt about the song, from Ambre McLean

When I grieve, I feel like I’m in an impossible maze of emotions. The walls are too high for me to see over, the floor is rocky and uncertain, the sky is too dark to navigate by, and the exits keep changing. The eye of grief is not all-seeing. It is blind and numb and empty and lonely. The last thing I want to do is sing or play or even look at an instrument. So, for me, the creative process comes much later. It is the aftermath, almost the victory of making it out alive. I create as a way to gather up all the fractals and pieces of my broken self, and much like a puzzle, the creativity part is putting it all back together in a new way, to make up for the missing parts, and to make room for the new versions of self that grow gnarly from the wound.

What can you do?

Send us your resources! What does your organization do to support the bereavement process? Contact us at [email protected]  

Share your stories on social media! Challenge Canadians to ask each other about their grief and bereavement, and share their stories. Don’t forget to tag CHPCA on Facebook (CanadianHospicePalliativeCare) and Twitter (@CanadianHPCAssn) and use the hashtags #Grief2023 and #ReachOut 

Help us tell the real story of grief and bereavement and of hospice palliative care in Canada to policy-makers and health care leaders. Share your experience with us here!

Submit articles to publish on CHPCA’s new blog: The Palliative Approach and on the Canadian edition of ehospice 

Write and submit articles to local newspapers or create online posts about National Grief and Bereavement Day and what it means to you or your organization. 

Donate: CHPCA is advocating 365 days a year for strong national Hospice Palliative Care policy to serve all Canadians. You can help make our voice stronger by making a donation of any amount at chpca.ca/donate or by donating to your local hospice or palliative care program. 

Thank you to our 2023 National Grief and Bereavement Day Sponsors.

Saint Elizabeth Foundation

Future Dates for National Grief and Bereavement Day

  • National Grief and Bereavement Day 2024: November 19, 2024
  • National Grief and Bereavement Day 2025: November 18, 2025
  • National Grief and Bereavement Day 2026: November 17, 2026