The Organizational Development Branch, Corporate Services at MGCS had reached out to Kelly Gordon from Service Ontario Cornwall to share the loss of her daughter Addyson Faith and how she became part of Bereaved Families of Ontario. The team was working on a series of articles that highlight exceptional colleagues who are living their values both at work and in their communities.
The following article was written by Nancy Roche the Senior Advisor for The Organizational Development Branch.

Connecting with Bereaved Families Helps Healing Process

Imagine holding your week-old daughter in your arms and kissing her goodbye.
For Kelly Gordon, losing Addyson Faith was the most devastating experience she could imagine.
Now, almost eight years later, Kelly has channelled her grief into helping others like herself, through Bereaved Families of Ontario-Cornwall. Bereaved Families helps hundreds of adults, children, youth and survivors of suicide struggling through the grieving process with no-charge programs, services and resources.
Encouraged by her mother to sign up for a six-week closed group session led by bereaved facilitators, Kelly began her first class. Although she and the rest of the participants were emotionally drained at the end of their first meeting, Kelly was already looking forward to her next class.
Connecting with others who were sharing the same experience helped Kelly climb out of her deep depression, gave her hope and a sense of belonging, and helped her realize that helping others was what she wanted to do.
Kelly, who works at the Cornwall Service Ontario retail office, is now a trained facilitator and works with families to support them as they share their painful experiences and helps them develop the tools they need to move forward.
As Kelly says: “Connecting with people who are going through the same pain I experienced and knowing that I’m making a difference in their lives is what keeps me going.
I owe so much to Bereaved Families of Ontario-Cornwall – I wouldn’t be here today without them. By facilitating sessions, working on the board and raising funds for this organization, I have the opportunity to pay it forward, while keeping the legacy of my daughter, Addyson Faith, alive.”
If you or somebody you love is experiencing the loss of a loved one, you can connect them with Bereaved Families of Ontario-Cornwall online.
Bereaved Families of Ontario-Cornwall is an affiliate of Bereaved Families of Ontario and has been in operation since November 1985. It has become a major local source for bereavement support, resources and information in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry and remains the only self-help agency that offers support free of charge to this community.
– Nancy Roche