Digital Lifeline: App Connects Grieving Parents Across the Globe

For Kimberly Stevens, the heavy weight of losing a child brings a profound sense of grief that is incredibly difficult to convey. However, when surrounded by others who have experienced the same devastating loss, explanations become unnecessary.

"I get this feeling of comfort … it just kind of feels like I'm home almost," Ms Stevens said.

Following the death of her son Ethan in 2021, she realized there was a critical lack of support services for grieving parents, particularly in regional and remote locations such as the central Queensland mining community of Moranbah where she lives.

A Sudden Tragedy

Ethan's family received his diagnosis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Christmas Day in 2020. Just nine weeks later, the active 13-year-old passed away after contracting fungal pneumonia during his chemotherapy treatment.

"It was really quite quick and very traumatic," recalled Ms Stevens, who works as a psychologist.

While navigating her own grief and caring for her younger son, Ms Stevens discovered that connecting with people who understood her pain offered a unique form of comfort.

"When you sit down with someone who is on that same journey, there's so much that doesn't need to be said," she explained. "You're not constantly thinking that you need to explain how you're feeling. If you're crying one second, then laughing the next, it's OK because the other person understands."

She added, "It can be a lifeline … it certainly was for me."

Building a Digital Lifeline

Determined to make this connection accessible to others regardless of geographical barriers, Ms Stevens set out to build an app. After three years of development, she officially launched Kids Connecting Parents last year.

The platform allows registered users to find other bereaved parents nearby or further away and send them connection requests. Since its launch, 230 parents across eight countries have joined the platform. Locally, the connections have led to group walks, yoga sessions, and coffee meetups.

Ms Stevens is preparing to present the app's initial findings at the European Grief Conference in Portugal this coming September.

A Critical Need for Varied Supports

The rise of digital grief tools aligns with an increasing interest in online bereavement resources. University of Queensland senior lecturer in clinical psychology Fiona Maccallum noted the importance of a comprehensive system that includes peer support, social networks, and professional care.

"Not everyone is going to need to make use of all of them, but we need to make them available for people who are seeking these different forms of support," Dr Maccallum said. She added that such digital tools can offer a roadmap for those seeking guidance from others who have walked a similar path.

For Jason King, a grieving father living in the remote New South Wales town of Broken Hill, the app provided much-needed connection. Mr King lost his 18-year-old daughter Jordan to suicide in 2023.

"When you lose a child, it really is like you've been completely dismantled from the inside out and you're never going to put yourself back together the same way again," Mr King shared. "But having someone there to help you put the pieces back and take stock well into the future as that journey unfolds, is such an important piece of the puzzle."

A filmmaker by trade, Mr King has poured his grief into creating the Jordan Liberty Project, which includes a documentary currently in development. He emphasized there is incredible power "in harnessing the people who are actually going through the stuff on the ground".

The Funding Challenge

While digital peer support tools offer valuable aid alongside clinical services, securing the funds to keep them running remains a significant obstacle. Ms Stevens, who self-funded the app's development via online fundraising and a partnership with animation studio Motion Curve, noted that grant funding is incredibly difficult to obtain.

"As a clinician, I'm hoping to keep exploring how peer support can sit along professional grief care," Ms Stevens said.

Dr Maccallum explained that grief support lacks a unified government department or funding scheme, creating sustainability issues.

"While there are some good supports available and emerging, they are often siloed and hard to find or access, and there is a reliance on donations and philanthropy to fill gaps, which raises concerns about long-term sustainability," Dr Maccallum said.

Despite the challenges, Ms Stevens remains resolute in her mission to ensure Kids Connecting Parents remains available to those who need it most.