Emily's story

Emily* initially contacted LionHeart after the very sudden death of her father left her reeling with grief. She'd taken two weeks off work but, on her return, found herself really struggling.

She explained: "I found I was really struggling with my grief - to the point where it felt like my life was falling apart and I was unable to cope with things."

Emily was assigned her own LionHeart support officer, Ben. Their regular weekly calls during those first few weeks gave Emily what felt like her only opportunity to discuss her feelings openly and became a real lifeline.

"I was in a very upsetting and dark place when I reached out to LionHeart for support, and I cannot fault the service that I received," said Emily.

"As time went on, the support changed from dealing with the immediate grief to help with other things, such as support with work-related issues and stress. It was such a reassuring constant throughout a period that was so upsetting and uncertain as I was also going through a terrible time with my employer."

To make matters even worse, Emily was given notice of being made redundant from her surveying job a few months later.

She said: "Ben was able to offer a lot of general reassurance and support, help with my CV and so on. I can't really put into words how much he helped me and how grateful I am for the continual support that I received.

"I felt that I had someone completely objective in my corner who absolutely had my back and wouldn't let anything get worse.

"Over time, Ben helped me to challenge my self-critical voice that tells me everything is my fault, and taught me to be kinder to myself. I am definitely more able to cope with things in general now thanks to this.

"The first Christmas after Dad died I received a hamper from the team at LionHeart. It was such a surprise but made me feel so supported and put a massive smile on my face at a time that was just so difficult.

"Somehow, just knowing that someone is rooting for you and thinking of you is such a profound help."

Fortunately Emily went on to secure a new job, where she is very happy. She remained in touch with LionHeart, with her calls becoming less frequent over a period of several months, until she felt she no longer needed regular support. She knows that the door remains open at any point in the future.

She says: "It's now a couple of years since my dad passed away. While I still mourn the loss, and I don't think that will ever go away, LionHeart's support helped to make things so much more manageable than they would have been.

"I honestly don't know how I would have coped without you."

*Name changed to protect identity. Photo posed by model.