Caro Hattersley, WAY Ambassador
Caro joined WAY Widowed and Young in February 2020, a few months after losing her husband Steve and discovering that there were no locally based bereavement services in East London, where she lives.
“I was lost and struggling to figure out how to adjust to life without my husband, who was always my biggest source of support,” said Caro.
“Fast forward four years and I have become a WAY Ambassador because I want to make sure others in my situation know there is help and support available for them too,” she explained.
“I am particularly keen to ensure that others who couldn’t or didn’t have children are able to access the support provided by WAY and the subgroup for those who’ve been widowed without children (known as WAYWOC). I also want to make sure that other people with disabilities, like me, find a place where they can learn to manage after such a profound loss. I hope that I can raise awareness among professionals so that those who are supporting young widows understand the unique challenges they face every day navigating life after loss.”
“WAY became a real lifeline for me after losing Steve and then going into lockdown and having to shield because of the pandemic,” Caro added. “The friends I made during that time have become family. I don’t know how I would have survived without WAY and the subgroup WAYWOC, which offers peer support to members without children. Thanks to WAY, I have started to rebuild a life and to find small flashes of joy again.”