A message from Dr Bernard M Jenner OAM

I write with a heartfelt plea for your consideration of offering urgent assistance to Hope Bereavement Care who has supported your patients free of charge individually, families and within more than 60 peer support groups, who have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one suddenly and unexpectedly. 

We have supported 723 people in the last year, many were your patients hence assisting your critical work and support. Such tragedies as miscarriage, perinatal, infant/child, adult & spouse death - illness, suicide, accident, MCA, homicide, natural causes - we support mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, widows/widowers. Hope Bereavement Care is not just another mental health service, for many marginalised people it is the only service providing crucial emotional support that gets them through from one day to another until they are strong enough to stand on their own feet. We are there for them and to support you, now we need your support.

Hope Bereavement Care  is a not-for-profit charity that I have lead since 1985 and has survived due to  the passion and commitment of our Honorary Board of Management, our generous community and various trusts and foundations - we are privileged to have a small band of expert administration staff and counsellors. We receive no government funding (in spite of all our endeavours none for the foreseeable future). Unfortunately the demand on our service, especially over 200 suicide related referrals in the last 12 months requiring post-vention (families, friends, schools/childcare, workplaces) has risen exponentially in recent years due to many factors as outlined in the Royal Commission into Mental Health, including the demand on primary health, limited access to mental health services (though grief not a mental health disorder but can become such without early intervention) and financial costs to those grieving. 

We are at a critical time in our existence, with a budget having escalated to near $1/2M. We are working on a Social Enterprise Business Plan that will go National, to maintain sustainability and an income source, also to spread our Purpose DNA to other areas around Australia, which will take at least two years to be established. We have cut back our staff hours and for the first time have a waiting list though triaging those most urgent. We need urgent bridging financial support over this next two years and am asking whether you can help us as we have helped you, by providing a tax deductible donation in the form of a one off $5,000 grant or maybe $200/month for 24 months.

Please take a moment to think of those you have met and whom needed the solace, time and understanding of their pain of suddenly losing a loved one. Without Hope there are no alternatives for the long emotional journey ahead. 

You can make a difference. Please help.

Bernie