Life-changing grief support for kids heading to Townsville

When Bethany Bala’s children lost their father to a sudden brain aneurysm four years ago, coming to terms with their grief was an uphill battle. Discover how a free camp helped them heal.

Bethany Bala with her 2 children Caelan, 11, and Dulci, 10, pictured at their Kirwan home. Picture: Shae Beplate.

When Bethany Bala’s two children lost their father to a sudden brain aneurysm four years ago, coming to terms with their grief was an uphill battle.

Her daughter Dulci, just about to turn six at the time, was heartbroken and at times struggling to cope with a loss she couldn’t fully understand.

“She would talk about feeling different from her peers,” Bethany said. “I knew we needed a bit more support.”

Her son Caelan, seven at the time, faced his own challenges, unable to sleep properly.

“He didn’t sleep well for up to a year after his dad died,” Bethany recalls. “I thought it was just a phase, but now I know that lack of sleep is a sign of a grieving child.”

That’s when Bethany discovered Feel the Magic, a NSW-based charity helping kids deal with the trauma after the death of a loved one, whether it be a parent, sibling or grandparent.

Bethany Bala with her 2 children Caelan, 11, and Dulci, 10, pictured at their Kirwan home. Picture: Shae Beplate.

After her kids attended online sessions and later joined a free camp in Sydney, Bethany saw a profound transformation in them.

Now, she’s helped to bring Feel the Magic to Townsville, with the first camp set for October 13 at The Oasis.

The camp is free, thanks to donations from local businesses, and volunteers from NSW will fly in to facilitate it.

“It was so powerful to see my kids connect with other children who understood what they were going through at camp,” Bethany said.

“They didn’t feel alone, and that’s so important when you’re dealing with loss.”

She says her son, who had bottled up his emotions, finally opened up at his first camp.

“It wasn’t until he was at camp hearing from all these other kids that he realised he had been holding it all in, and they gave him the tools to start talking about it,” she said.

Her goal is to keep the program running in town for the long term.

“There’s such a need for this kind of support in our community,” she said.

“One in 20 children will lose a parent before the age of 20. It can be incredibly isolating, so we’re giving them a safe space to grieve and connect.

“It’s about creating a community where no child has to face loss alone.”

Registrations close on September 28. For more information or to register for the camp, visit feelthemagic.org.au

Originally published as Life-changing grief support for kids heading to Townsville