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14/11/2017

BBC One - Saying Goodbye

Powerful testimonies from children who have experienced the death of a parent.

Documentary presenting powerful testimonies from children who have experienced the death of a parent, as well as some who are preparing for this possibility.

Every day in the UK over a hundred children face the death of their mum or dad. Behind this statistic are many untold and heart-rending stories. Saying Goodbye, a special film for BBC Children in Need, features a group of seven- to 17-year-olds who have been bereaved and a few who are facing the death of a parent. In their own words, these brave children share their heart-wrenching experiences and memories, with the aim of helping other young people who are facing a similar situation.

Many of the contributors in the film have received counselling, some of the children and young people have been helped by projects around the UK supported by BBC Children in Need. Those who have already experienced bereavement form a chorus of voices - sisters Lilia, seven, and Ellie, ten, brothers Ben, nine, and Sam, 11, 13-year-old twins Sam and Ellie, Bethany, 14, and Shayna, 17. In turn they explain their grief, from the moment they first learned that a parent was ill, to when they understood they were not going to get better, the moment of death and the difficult aftermath of funerals and grieving.

Interwoven throughout their revealing testimonies are two unfolding stories of children preparing to lose someone special. Sisters Imogen, aged 12, and Madeleine, aged nine, from south Wales explain how they are coming to terms with their mother's terminal cancer. In unfiltered and eloquent words, they reveal their fears about the future and how their mother, Dawn, is preparing them for a life after she is gone. Together they have selected wedding dresses, first cars and even homes, creating memories to equip them for a future life without their mother.

Amy Rose, aged 13 and from Berkshire, is facing the uncertainty of knowing that her mother's cancer could be life threatening - but neither of them know for sure. She articulates what it is like being on an emotional rollercoaster and the importance of being positive for her mum Claire's sake.

For Imogen, Madeleine and Amy Rose, and the other young people sharing their stories, there is support available through the hundreds of organisations and unsung heroes around the country who support grieving children. One organisation featured in the film is the Princess Alice Hospice in Surrey, which receives BBC Children in Need funding to provide therapeutic sessions and crisis response sessions to young people who are experiencing bereavement.

In this powerful, moving and life-affirming film, the children show great honesty, strength and resilience while sharing their stories.

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