Take my hand by Kerry Fisher and Pat Sowa

This book is a brilliantly written story of two mothers going through grief and loss. As quoted on the back cover “Best friends Kerry and Pat had their worlds crash down when their teenage sons were both diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses within weeks of each other.”

Pat lost her son to suicide and the honesty within her words is truly brave and helpful to others that have been in a similar situation. We can all seek comfort in knowing that we’re not alone in our thoughts and that some of the darkest things we may think are ‘normal’ and most importantly will subside. 

One of the reasons this book is also so powerful is the indirect comparison between physical and mental health, something that can be useful for those who may not understand mental health. Through Pat’s story we understand and appreciate the specificities of suicide-related grief, but at the same time we can see the similarities between all grief, motherhood, supporting friends and other common elements of terrible situations that we can find ourselves in.

We don’t want to give away too much as this is definitely one to read, but as well as their personal stories they also share tips and advice and even signpost to resources they found helpful.