My name is Helen Shute and I started C.A.S.T.S to offer unconditional
support to others bereaved by suicide after my own experience as a
survivor. My only brother took his own life in 1985 at the tender age of 21
years. As the youngest of a family of 5 children, I was only 15 at the time
of his death and losing Andrew changed my life forever!
I'm sure there were counselling and bereavement support services around
at that time but as a family we were so consumed with our grief that searching
for outside help, other than from our GP, didn't really occur to us.
It was a very private loss and and we tried, to the best of our ability, to support
and help each other. However, in hindsight, we all reacted and responded
to our pain in different ways and could not always be there for other family
members when it was needed.
Sadly, our family suffered the huge blow of a further 3 deaths by suicide
after Andrew. My mother had not only lost her only son but also her brother.
My sister grieved the loss of her husband and my brother-in-law lost a sister.
We have all been faced with emotional devastation but are still here...
still surviving and now living life as best we can beyond the aftermath of suicide.
Although I believe one life ended so tragically is one too many...we can go on and
live and love again. We will never forget and we will change but with help, support
and genuine caring...we don't have to face that journey alone!
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