Bereaved Families of Ontario Kingston Region

07/21/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for the first ever Remembering By the River event! It was a beautiful to remember all of our loved ones.The Lennox & Addington Macpherson House provided the perfect setting and we are so glad to have partnered with the Museum of Lennox & Addington for this meaningful event. 🦋

We would love to see your photos from the event; please tag us or share them in the Event page!

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07/18/2025

🦋 Join us tomorrow at 11am at the Lennox & Addington Macpherson House in Napanee for Butterfly Release - Remembering by the River! 🦋


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🫶 Tomorrow 🦋

Join us for "Remembering by the River" at Macpherson House. Come spend a peaceful morning honouring loved ones along the beautiful Napanee River. Free to attend. A limited number of butterflies will be available for purchase at the door ($25 each) in support of Bereaved Families of Ontario Kingston Region.

💛 All are welcome.

🗓️ July 19 at 11AM
📍 Macpherson House, 180 Elizabeth St., Napanee

Learn more here: https://countymuseum.ca/event/remembering-by-the-river/

07/16/2025

July is . If you've lost a child, what's one of the things that you wonder?

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[Image Description: pink background with black text reading "When you lose a child you are haunted with a lifetime of wonder"]

07/09/2025

July is . You can help a grieving parent just by talking with them about their child.

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[Image Description: white background with black text reading "When bereaved parents talk about the child they have lost, they aren't looking for sympathy, and they certainly don't want your pity; they just long to bring their beloved child into the present day and not be pressured into leaving their memory in the past. Zoe Clark-Coates"]

07/02/2025

Reaching out to someone who is bereaved, saying their person's name, no matter how much time has passed, is a way to let them know that you remember their person, too, and that you care about them. July is . If you know someone who is grieving for their child, there's no wrong time to check in with them.

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💔 Good morning. It’s July 1st — and most people don’t know what this month means.

It’s bereaved parents month.
And if you didn’t know that… that’s okay.
Most people don’t.

Because we don’t announce it with balloons.
We don’t hang signs on our doors.
We quietly carry the weight of a love so fierce, it outlived its person.

We mark birthdays no one remembers.
We hold invisible hands in busy rooms.
We ache in places words don’t reach.

This isn’t a club anyone wants to join.
It’s one you wake up in when the world tilts and never fully rights itself again.

But here’s the truth about bereaved parents:

We still laugh.
We still find joy in little things.
We still root for our favorite team and hum along to songs in the car.
We are still here.

Every day is a balancing act — between the life we live, and the life we imagined.
Between memories so precious they hurt to hold, and futures we’ll never see.

So this morning — if you know a bereaved parent, say their child’s name.
Not because it’ll make them sad.
But because it reminds them someone else remembers too.

And if you are a bereaved parent — I see you.
I see your courage.
I see your strength.
I see the way you carry your child’s love like an ember you refuse to let burn out.

July is bereaved parents month.
But for us — it’s every month. Every day. Every moment.

A love death could never silence.

May this month be a soft place for your heart.

I.R.

07/01/2025

BFO-Kingston offers peer grief support to those who have experienced the death of someone important in their life. Support is provided virtually or in-person. If you are interested in one-to-one support or in attending a peer support group, please contact the office by calling 613-634-1230, emailing bfo@kingston.net or sending us a direct message.

*Please note: The Parents and Su***de Loss groups are both postponed by a week for July because of Canada Day. Instead of taking place on the first Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, they will take place on the second Tuesday (July 8) and Wednesday (July 9).

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06/29/2025

Quarterly Newsletter - June- https://mailchi.mp/c3b4ddbaeecf/quarterly-newsletter-march-19876349

06/29/2025

🦋 Today is the LAST DAY to order your butterfly for Butterfly Release - Remembering by the River, brought to you by Museum of Lennox & Addington and BFO-Kingston. Make sure you get your butterfly by going to bit.ly/RBTR2025 and then join us on July 19th for a beautiful memorial event. 🦋

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06/27/2025

Thank you to The Napanee Beaver for this great article about the upcoming Butterfly Release - Remembering by the River event. Deadline to purchase your butterflies is this Sunday! Make sure you order online at http://bit.ly/RBTR2025

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Mac House to host memorial butterfly release July 19 for lost loved ones https://www.reddit.com/user/Fun_Zone_8608/comments/1ll0f1d/mac_house_to_host_memorial_butterfly_release_july/

06/16/2025

🌈 2SLGBTQIA+ Grief Support Group Registration Now Open! 🌈

Are you looking for a compassionate, inclusive space to navigate grief and loss?

We’re thrilled to announce our
6-week 2SLGBTQIA+ Grief Support Group is now accepting registrations!

💛 This group is in collaboration with Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto

✨About the Group
Join us in a safe(r) and affirming virtual space to connect with peers who truly understand. Together, we’ll share experiences, explore grief, and build a supportive community.

📆 When: June 17th - July 29th (Tuesday
evenings, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM, via Zoom)
*Skipping July 1st*
🤝 Facilitators: Compassionate leaders from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
👥 Eligibility: age 18+, self-identity as 2SLGBTQ+, and grieving the death of someone important

🪻 Why Join?
Grieving can feel isolating, but you don’t have to face it alone. This group is designed specifically for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to honor your unique experiences while navigating the complexities of loss.
With only 15 spaces, we encourage you to register early.

💻 How to Register:
- New members: Complete our intake form at www.bereavedfamilies.ca/intake-form
- Returning and existing participants: Email us at info@bereavedfamilies.ca to secure your spot!

💫 Let’s create a space where grief is met with understanding and support. Don’t wait-register now to

06/15/2025

Father’s Day can be hard for those who are bereaved. For anyone who is experiencing mixed emotions or for whom today is tough, your feelings are valid and you are not alone.

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02/11/2025

"You don’t just lose someone once, you lose them every day, for a lifetime."

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— You Don’t Just Lose Someone Once —

You lose them over and over,
sometimes many times a day.
When the loss, momentarily forgotten,
creeps up, and attacks you from behind.
Fresh waves of grief as the realization hits home,
they are gone.

Again.
You don’t just lose someone once, you lose them every time you open your eyes to a new dawn, and as you awaken, so does your memory, so does the jolting bolt of lightning that rips into your heart, they are gone.
Again.

Losing someone is a journey, not a one-off.
There is no end to the loss, there is only a learned skill on how to stay afloat,
when it washes over.

Be kind to those who are sailing this stormy sea,
they have a journey ahead of them, and a daily shock to the system each time they realize, they are gone,
Again.

You don’t just lose someone once, you lose them every day,
for a lifetime.
© Donna Ashworth Words