Healing from Traumatic Grief – ChickenSoup Foundation

David became a single father overnight after his wife died of cancer. Meanwhile his son Allen was diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN) and had trouble expressing his emotions. The loss and grief along with the special needs of his son made David felt like he was at rock bottom. With ChickenSoup’s holistic bereavement and SEN support, both David and Allen have now moved forward in life.

FIC#042: Story of David and his Family

Absence of Breadwinners

A full-time single father of one kid
Father became the only caretaker of the household after wife passed away from cancer

Illnesses

Son has special educational needs and epilepsy
Father has chronic conditions like kidney stone and adrenal tumor

Extreme Poverty

Living on CSSA with no disposable income

WORDS FROM THE FAMILY

“When my family got admitted to the hospital, my only wish was that she would be discharged soon and come home. Being able to have a happy and healthy life with my family was all I ever wanted. We understand what happiness truly means only when we have encountered pain.”
David
Single father of one kid
“Don’t be envious when others’ flowers bloom early. Work hard so your flowers can bloom well instead. I remember that SMAP used to have a song that’s called “The Only Flower in the World”. In fact, every child is like a unique flower in the world and has a life of its own. Meaningless comparisons can make children feel lost. My child once told me the student who got first place in his class is inhuman because he would always get full score, just like a living god. I told my kid not to compare to others and should focus on himself instead. I asked him to compare himself to who he was yesterday and see if he has made any improvement in order to achieve self-empowerment.”
David
Single father of one kid

Coping with Grief and Loss

When David’s wife passed away due to cancer, the entire family was left in a state of infinite sadness. Despite the experience was deeply painful, lonely, and consuming, the family has moved forward with it – learn more from David’s sharing!

Special thanks to Overlook Investments for enabling this family’s transformation.

Amaz-SEN Students

Allen was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. An accomplished student with high-achieving results, his father refused to acknowledge his illness until now his symptoms got more serious. With ChickenSoup’s support, his social skills have improved and he can now better express emotions. Learn more about his story via his interview with Ming Pao.

HOW TO REFER

Families In Crisis

If you encounter any family that needs a helping hand and would like to refer them to us, please follow the instructions below.

Please read the introduction of our program.
Please complete this questionnaire to refer eligible families. Due to the large volume of applications, we will only be able to respond to successful applicants.

Individual Donors

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