In the face of immense loss, Bendigo woman Tracy Harnetty still holds onto the light by remembering her loved ones.
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Like many Bendigonians, she was hanging a bauble on the Remembrance Tree at Bendigo Marketplace in memory of family members who have passed away.
But Ms Harnetty’s pain is felt three-fold. She lost her mother, her sister and her father all to cancer, one year after the next.
“Mum was sick for quite some time. The week after her funeral (in 2011), my sister was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Then the week before my sister’s funeral, it was my dad – terminal illness,” she said.
Each was claimed by cancer – her mother had breast cancer and her father had prostate cancer, while her sister died from a rare gall bladder cancer.
She said despite Christmas being a time of sadness and absence – where she also lost three of her four grandparents on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day – it allowed her and her remaining family to cherish happy memories.
“You go from having this great big family and all of a sudden you turn around and think, there's a few of us missing now,” she said.
“Christmas can be tough, but it can also be special. It's a great time to just remember. It doesn’t have to be sad, they all lived great lives.
“I was lucky to have them for as long as I did. I had an opportunity to say goodbye to each of them, and some people don't get that.
“This time of year is certainly tough for everyone that has lost someone, and (the Remembrance Tree) is such a special way to pay tribute to them and remember them.”
She praised palliative care nurses and volunteers, who had helped her sister pass away in her home, and said they were a willing ear to answer the tough questions.
Bendigo Health palliative care volunteer coordinator Joan Loverso said this was the 16th year for the Remembrance Tree, adding that it was a lovely initiative giving local people the opportunity to grieve their loss.
She said people found it comforting and it gave them a chance to talk about end of life options.
People are welcome to donate to the Remembrance Tree – last year $1200 was raised which went towards training palliative care volunteers.
The Bendigo Health palliative care Remembrance Tree will be at Bendigo Market Place from December 4 until December 11.
