In July 2018, Phil and Lucy Grisedale tragically lost their son Max during childbirth. At that moment, their world crumbled. 

Phil was struggling with his own pain, all the while struggling with the pain he could only watch Lucy and his two sons go through.

“It was the factors that came with losing Max that were difficult. After the birth, you ring friends and family to tell them what they think is good news. And before you’ve even had a chance to begin, they’re asking questions about the baby. I wanted to talk about it, but I always worried about making people feel uncomfortable.”

If you haven’t experienced grief, you might think that life stands still until you’re ready to face it again. In reality, however, grief can be all consuming. Yet Phil had to soldier on.

“We tried to reach out for help. We went to various support groups but we were lost until our bereavement midwife put us in touch with The Laura Centre.”

In the months following Max’s death, our bereavement counsellors supported the Grisedale family.

“Through time and support, through face to face counselling, The Laura Centre helped us make sense of our feelings and taught us how to cope. Without The Laura Centre, I’d hate to think where we’d be now.”

Phil had always been active. But through losing Max, he found that exercise kept overwhelming thoughts at bay. He decided to increase training with his gym group when they set themselves the challenge of taking on the Three Peaks.

At first, the challenge wasn’t a fundraiser. But when Phil told his friends about Max and The Laura Centre, they decided to use the challenge as means to raise money for our vital bereavement services.

On July 17th 2021, 12 days after Max’s 3rd anniversary, Phil’s gym group took on The Three Peaks and raised an incredible £2,800 for The Laura Centre.

In the years since, Phil has dedicated his time to raising awareness of child bereavement.

“For me, The Laura Centre is a place where you’re understood. We were in this awful storm, it was thundering and raining, and The Laura Centre was the beacon of light that pointed us back in the right direction. We’re forever in their debt.”

Loss can be a taboo subject. Some would rather avoid it, and others will face it uncomfortably. But whether you’re avoiding your own grief or someone else’s, the effects can be detrimental. 

It’s only because of people like Phil that our mission is made possible. In facing his own loss, Phil has helped countless families receive the help they need.

To find out how The Laura Centre can support you through a bereavement, explore our varying therapeutic services.

This blog is dedicated to Max Grisedale, brother of Samuel, Jacob and Lily.