On Thursday 8th August 2019, Lauren’s mum, Bronwyn, passed away after a long battle with MS. She was only 56.
Lauren is an only child, now aged 27, and while her mum’s passing wasn’t unexpected, there was no way she could have ever predicted the depth of grief and loneliness she would experience.
“We went through so much during the time Mum was sick, which a lot of people never saw or heard about. I was only 10 years old when she was diagnosed and 16 years later I suppose I expected the support to be more consistent and more ongoing than what it has been.
“Initially the support was wonderful. But, people move on with their lives, forgetting that yours has completely stopped, which leaves you to pick up the pieces and deal with your grief alone."
Finding long-term comfort and understanding among family and friends in the wake of losing your mum can be difficult. Motherless Daughters Australia (MDA) aims to provide support through a safe online community, beautiful events and intimate gatherings with the intention of promoting connection and support. Your donation will help MDA offers peer and professional guidance to women and girls as they approach everything from major life milestones and anniversaries, to everyday activities that can trigger their grief.
“One of the hardest things for me to accept about Mum’s death is that I still have so much living to do and she won’t be here to see any of it. I constantly worry about my future because I feel as though I’ve lost all sense of direction now that Mum is gone.
“I can still remember when the call came from my dad around 1am to tell me Mum was gone. I scooped up my puppy, still in my pyjamas, and rushed to the home where Mum lived for the last two years of her life. I remember walking in, her room smelling just as it always did, of Jo Malone Pomegranate room spray, and seeing my dad sitting by my mum’s bedside completely broken. We sat there for hours, holding her hands, crying, trying to figure out what came next.
"Before I left to go home and begin making phone calls, I gave Mum a kiss on the cheek, told her how much I loved her, and took in the heavenly smell of her hair one last time. God I hope I never forget that smell."
Please help us to support women and girls when they need their mum most and help them feel less alone. It’s through your generous gift that MDA can continue to represent, inform, support and connect women and girls whose mums have died, to help navigate the every day and life's key milestones.
Your gift today will support a daughter in all tomorrows without her mum.
With heartfelt thanks
Danielle Snelling and Eloise Baker-Hughes
Co-founders
