Three weeks after her sister’s death she heard about
Survivors of Suicide Day, an international event for those
who lose someone to suicide. Noblet attended the event held
in Calgary, which became the beginning of a very long road
to healing. “As soon as I had found there was community
and there were other people who had gone through it, it was
amazing,” she says breathing a sigh of relief. “I could talk
about it. I could breathe.”
Through the event Noblet connected with the CMHA - Calgary
Region and began to learn about the process of grief through
the support of a peer match and other programs provided
by the Suicide Bereavement Support program. She attributes
the work she did there in helping her to realize the things she
was going through were normal.
Being able to find support in the sharing of her story with
others who understood it was immeasurably helpful to her.
“There is nothing worse than going through something so
painful and difficult and feeling alone,” she says. “Having
something available where people are ready and willing and
wanting to help is the biggest thing.”
The chance to share, to connect with people who understand,
helped Noblet in her grief journey. “I find the more you hold it
in, it builds and turns into things much harder than they need
to be. There are people there who are able to listen, there
isn’t anything too heavy or too dark for them to hear. Having
that outlet – that support – is amazing.”
She also says that the programs at CMHA were critical in
helping her navigate through the process and she is immensely
grateful for what they were able to provide. Noblet says it was
helpful to have everything laid out in front of her so she could
look at what was available and find the support she needed.
“There is a point where you have to give in and accept the
help that is there.”
Today, seven years after the loss, Noblet talks about her
sister and shares the story of her life and the loss as part of
her healing. “There is no replacing her. There is always going
to be a hole in my heart, but, knowing I’m able to help others
is part of how I am able to take and turn this into some sort
of good.”
“Good can come out of anything, and at the time you can’t
imagine that, it’s the last thing you would think at the time,
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