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Prince Harry channeled his own experience of losing a father in a poignant preface to a special book written for children who suffered the loss of a father or loved one during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hospital by the Hill tells the story of a young man accepting the loss of his mother, who worked on the front lines of a hospital. The moving theme of the book – which can speak to children from all walks of life who recently lost a loved one – is one of the reasons why the Duke of Sussex chose to personally support the project.
In the opening chapter, Prince Harry pays tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana, who he tragically lost at the age of 12. “If you are reading this book, it is because you lost your father or loved one, and while I wish I could hug you now, I hope this story will be able to comfort you by knowing that you are not alone,” writes the duke.
He continues: “When I was a boy, I lost my mother. At the time, I didn’t want to believe or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside me. I know how you feel and I want to ensure that, over time, that hole will be filled with a lot of love and support. We all deal with loss in a different way, but when a father goes to heaven, I am told that his spirit, his love and their memories are not. They are always with you and you can hold them forever. I think this is true. “
The book is being released to coincide with Britain’s National Day of Reflection and will be free for any child or young person in the country who has been affected by the loss of loved ones to COVID-19.
In a statement shared with BAZAAR.com, author Chris Connaughton says: “I wanted to provide a connection, support and hope during the difficult and horrible times of mourning. It is also a great honor – and a service to young people – to have the Duke of Sussex supporting this project and sharing his open, sincere and honest words with children across the country. “
The project was started by Simon Says, a charity that supports child mourning. Its co-founder Sally Stanley says the idea of creating a book came after the deaths of frontline workers began to increase at the start of the pandemic last spring. “Being bereaved by a loved one is very difficult at any point in the life of a child or young person,” says Stanley. “The restrictions that surrounded close contact with family members during the pandemic make it much more difficult for them to say goodbye the way we are used to. I hope this book will help children and young people to remember their special person, whose job it was to help others ”.
Victoria Hussey, founding member, adds: “This book is a way of saying thanks and supporting a small part of the grieving process for children and young people, helping to open conversations and nurture their memories of loved ones.”
Hospital by the Hill, which is illustrated by Fay Troote, also promotes the services offered by two other charities – Child Bereavement UK and the emotional and practical support charity for children, Winston’s Wish.
You can read the courtesy of the Duke of Sussex in full below.
If you are reading this book, it is because you have lost your parents or loved one, and although I wish I could hug you now, I hope that this story will be able to give you comfort in knowing that you are not alone.
When I was a boy, I lost my mother. At the time, I didn’t want to believe or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside me. I know how you feel and I want to make sure that, over time, that hole will be filled with a lot of love and support. We all deal with loss in a different way, but when a father goes to heaven, he told me his spirit, his love
Well, I never met them, but I know this person was special to you, and they were incredibly kind, thoughtful and loving because of where they chose to work. Helping others is one of the most important tasks that anyone can perform.
You can feel alone, you can feel sad, you can be angry, you can feel bad. That feeling will pass. And I will make a promise to you: you will feel better and stronger when you are ready to talk about how it makes you feel.
I hope this book helps to remind you of how special your father or loved one was. And how special you are too.
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