The Sharing Place made a difference in my family’s life story in a myriad of ways. My soulmate and the mother of my 3 children died unexpectedly in 1992, and our family joined the first grief support group of the newly founded Sharing Place. We found comfort and healing in our new therapeutic friendship with others who faced similar challenges – like school projects, making cards for moms and dads when we had none, daddy-daughter dances, and the daily reality of our loss. As an Emergency Medicine Physician, I was face to face with death and loss every day at my work. I never dreamed that this could happen to us, or that I, too, actually needed support dealing with death (not just my children). The parent’s support group was priceless to me, even though The Sharing Place claims to be a grief program for children. We got through those hard first years together and made lifelong friends in the process.
It has been 34 years since the love of my life left us and I dearly miss her every day. When my family graduated from the Sharing Place, I had no idea how valuable the tools each of us had been given would be for our family. We take turns with life challenges and as we learn and grow in the process, we become more resilient and stronger as we face the next hurdle. Our family has experienced natural disasters and the painful loss of multiple loved ones and The Sharing Place community has been a vital support lifeline again and again. Several family members have volunteered and served as group coordinators and that experience has deepened our understanding and helped us to accept and integrate the human experiences we all share.
From the humble beginnings of meetings in church basements and conference rooms in 1993 (33 years) to the current four thriving therapeutic centers with over 250 volunteers and so many generous donors, The Sharing Place has served as a guiding light for Utah families who have faced the devastating loss of loved ones. It has been an honor and a privilege to have been served by and now to be able to give back to this incredible organization. I urge you to consider joining me in supporting the work of The Sharing Place however you can, by financial donation or volunteer service or gifts in kind to support the work. If you ever wanted to make a significant difference in the lives of others in your community, this is one of the most rewarding opportunities out there.
– Stu Breisch,
With a Sharing Place Family