Grief and bereavement support services

Our grief and bereavement support is included in our broader support framework. Our aim is to provide comprehensive care for our patients and carers.

We encourage you to reach out to us for support. Our services include:

• Emotional Support & Counselling: Our Blood Cancer Support Coordinators (BCSCs) provide emotional and counselling support. Sessions can be provided over the phone or face to face in some locations
• G&B Facebook Group: This group is an Australian Facebook community for people experiencing grief and bereavement in relation to blood cancer. It is moderated by our BCSCs, providing a supportive online community. Link

To access this support contact us on 1800 620 420 or complete our referral form:

• Healthcare Professional Referral Form
• Patient Referral Form

Additional Resources for Grief and Bereavement Support

For comprehensive support, we recommend the following external resources available across Australia:

National Bereavement Support

• Griefline: Provides free and confidential counselling to people experiencing grief and loss across Australia, including remote, regional, rural, and metropolitan regions. Helpline operates seven days a week (6 am to midnight AEST).
• Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement: Offers online, telephone, and face-to-face bereavement counselling to individuals, children, and families who need assistance following the death of a loved one. Free for Victorians.
• MyGrief App: Provides information, tools, and resources for families and friends on how best to support someone after a loss. Available for Android and iOS users.
• Canteen: Provides free & tailored support to young people aged 12-25 who are impacted by cancer.
• Redkite:Provides support for families facing childhood cancer.
• Rare Cancers Australia
• National Centre for Childhood Grief.
• Feel the Magic – Empowering children to thrive from grief.
• The Compassionate Friends Victoria (TCFV): Offers bereavement support for grieving parents, siblings, and grandparents in the event of the death of a child from any cause and at any age.

First nations

• Grief and Loss – WellMob

New South Wales

• National Association for Loss and Grief (NALAG): Independent, not-for-profit charity providing free grief and loss support services across NSW via telephone or face-to-face support and counselling.
• Bereavement Care Centre (BCC): Offers bereavement counselling and support services for the terminally ill and their families.

Australian Capital Territory

• Canberra Grief Centre (CGC): Offers grief counselling services to support grief, bereavement, and trauma due to loss.

Victoria

• Very Special Kids: Provides emotional support and counselling for families who have experienced a child’s death, including respite, end-of-life, and after-death care. Support line at (03) 9804 6253.
• Mercy Grief Services (MGS): Specialist bereavement counselling service for individuals and families in western metropolitan Melbourne.
• Hope Bereavement Care: Not-for-profit organisation based in Geelong offering free information, support, and counselling for those grieving the death of a child, an adult’s unexpected death, and loss after suicide.

Queensland

• The Compassionate Friends (CF): Provides support for families grieving the death of a child of any age, from any cause.
• Centacare: Catholic organisation providing counselling services in Brisbane for families dealing with various issues, including grief and loss.
• StandBy support: Community-based program providing support for people bereaved by suicide.

Northern Territory

• Suicide Bereavement Support: The government of the Northern Territory provides a list of agencies offering support and counselling for those bereaved by sudden death or suicide.

Western Australia

• The Grief Centre of Western Australia: Provides grief counselling and support for people experiencing grief from any type of loss.
• Compassionate Friends Western Australia: Support for families grieving the death of a child at any age, from any cause.
• Solace Grief Support WA: Supports those grieving the loss of a partner, spouse, or fiancee.

South Australia

• Bereavement Counselling SA: Provides a list of bereavement counselling services and support across the state.
• GriefLink: GriefLink provides information for people who are dealing with grief.

Tasmania

• The Trauma and Grief Network (TTGN): Connects people to resources focused on the care of children and teens affected by trauma, loss, and grief.
• Bereavement Care Network Tasmania (BCNT): Links grief counsellors to those who need help across Tasmania.

Other Bereavement Support

• Beyondblue: Offers free one-on-one counselling services over the phone. Contact their service at 1300 22 4636, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Kids Help Line: Free counselling for kids aged 5-25, 24/7.
• Mens Help Line: Professional support and advice for men. They can be called on 1300 789 978, 24/7.
• Relationships Australia: Provides free information and support for grief and loss.
• Cancer Council: Provides support for families who lose someone to cancer, including palliative care and bereavement resources.
• Lifeline: If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
• Suicide Call Back Service: Call 1300 659 467.