CHILDREN at Solihull’s Marie Curie hospice have been gifted a colourful mural.
Children’s book illustrator Thomas Docherty spent a day hand-painting two bears in the family room at the Marsh Lane Hospice to mark the release of the second book in his bestselling picture book series, The Bear-Shaped Hole, for families dealing with bereavement, loss and grief.
Free copies of the book have been gifted to the hospice.
Jane Murray, bereavement service lead at Marie Curie Solihull, said: “The Mural will enable us to open up conversations not only with children but people of all ages around death and ‘continuing bonds’ with the person who has died – as well as being a wonderful piece of art work in itself if it isn’t used in a therapeutic way.”
The Bear-Shaped Hole educates on terminal illness.
The book features bear best friends Gerda and Orlo, who do everything together – but slowly, something starts to change.
Orlo is ill – and he knows he isn’t going to get better again.
Devastated, Gerda experiences a range of emotions from disbelief to anger, but Orlo is there to help her prepare, and they spend their time together making memories that will last a lifetime.
So, when the time comes, Gerda is able to fill the bear-shaped hole in her life with the special memories she has of Orlo.
The book was created in the hope that it would help families at what is likely the hardest time in their lives.
