This week marks the one year anniversary since we tragically lost our sweet Vidalicia. Time is so very elastic, and rarely linear, so it’s hard to link her death, the grief that followed, and everything we have experienced since to a 365 days period. We’ve each passed through our big “first time without Vida” and we hope that our “second time without Vida” will feel a little less painful. We still talk about her often, we cry, we laugh, and we honour her by sharing all her favourite things on special days like this week. Vida has remained and will always be a big part of our lives.
Today feels like the right day to talk about how, with your help, we took a tragedy and turned it into something beautiful and impactful, as Vida always seemed to do in her own life. The Vidalicia Memorial Fund was created to drastically enhance the medical and emotional support that each of our children and young adults need. The generosity and backing that Vida’s Memorial Fund received moved us beyond words. This past year, in Vida’s honour, we have been able to source a team of local medical professionals to work alongside our family. We now have access to a paediatric neurologist, a neurologist, a paediatric psychopharmacologist, a child therapist, an adult psychologist, a gynaecologist, a dermatologist, and a dentist. We had an amazing family GP who guided us through COVID, anxiety linked illnesses, and a range of minor and major health issues. He was at the end of the phone every single time we needed help or advice this past year. More than 50% of our children are now attending crucial weekly therapy sessions to work through their traumas, their grief, and own difficult pasts. We have a long road ahead, but our children are slowly opening up and starting their healing process. And as of April, each of our children and young adults will be having full health checks every six months. Today we want to send love to everyone who knew Vida, loved Vida and were touched by her kind soul. And we want to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated to the Vidalicia Memorial Fund. You have all positively impacted the lives of each of our children, and in doing so you have honoured Vida’s name and her life countless times this year.
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