“Grief affects people in different ways,” says Geraldine Doogue, “and when you’re young, shutting out the whole experience can be one way of coping. Melany’s father died when she was 12, and it wasn’t until she was a young adult that she realised she had to find a way to come to terms with her loss.”

On ABC1 TV ( Compass, 20 March 2016) story producer: Richard Corfield, story researcher: Wendy Boynton, editor: Danielle Akayan and Executive producer: Jessica Douglas-Henry have put together a moving story that demonstrates how grief can be expressed in practical ways that can go on to touch the lives of many people.

Melany’s Remedy tells the story of a meeting with Helen Dunne that was a turning point for Melany.  Inspired by her own experience, this professional shroud-maker runs workshops in making and decorating burial shrouds. This process of stitching, talking, and creating a shroud to honour her father’s memory was the catalyst for Melany to face her past.

“I believe that birth and death are two areas of life that test the mettle of humans. If you feel the grief, there are many things that we might want to hide or not address, but if you face it all, there’s so many rich things in there as well – for ourselves, for life in general, and to take forward with us, and sadness can be one of those rich things,” says Helen.

Here is a link to Helen Dunne’s website http://funeralshrouds.com.au/  To watch the program go to: http://www.abc.net.au/compass/s4417263.htm