Grief camp connecting kids who know the pain of losing a parent or sibling

Australia Broadcast Center

23-04-2025

A beachside camp surrounded by friends would be a typical teenager's dream.
But when Alexis Versaci's mother told her she'd be driving eight hours to attend a special camp for grieving children, the 14-year-old was filled with dread.
"My dad passed away [when I was] 10,"
she said.
"He passed away in a truck accident in Pilbara … that's why I'm here, I guess."
Lisa Versaci (right) drove her three daughters, including Alexis (pictured), eight hours to attend the camp.
(
ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram
)
After her husband died, Lisa Versaci searched tirelessly for a program to connect her three daughters with other grieving kids in their hometown of Mackay in North Queensland.
The search finally ended when she stumbled upon a social media post about a "grief camp" in the southern coastal city of Hervey Bay, about 700 kilometres away.
"When I saw it, I was like, 'Yes, this is what my girls need', and I actually wish I had known of this years ago when it all started for us,"
Ms Versaci said.
Ms Versaci would like to see more programs for children who have lost a parent in regional Queensland.
(
ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram
)
Losing a parent
Alexis, who attended the camp with her two teenage sisters, said her grief had felt isolating, as few of her peers were able to relate to the pain of losing a parent.
"It's something that just kind of hits you very hard, and as someone who was 10, I didn't really know what I was supposed to do, how I was supposed to feel," she said.
Angelo Versaci (third from left) died in a trucking incident in Western Australia in 2021.
(
Supplied: Lisa Versaci
)
That was until she spent four days surrounded by 25 kids from around the state who were also grieving the loss of a parent or sibling.
"I've made lots of friends here, and I feel like the people that I've made connections with here understand what I'm going through and they are just free to talk about it,"
Alexis said.
Inside grief camp
The organiser of Hervey Bay's inaugural Grief Camp — a collaboration between charities Rally for a Cause and Angel Families — said it was a passion project 12 months in the making.
"We know that one in 20 Australian kids are going to experience the loss of a sibling or a parent, so for us, that's too big of a number to not do something," said Jess Lane from Angel Families.
About 25 children attended the inaugural camp in Hervey Bay.
(
Supplied: Jess Lane
)
Ms Lane said during the four-day camp the youths bonded over a range of activities, including outdoor adventures and a candlelit vigil for their loved ones.
She said they arrived at the camp with their individual experiences of loss but left with shared memories and support.
"It's been a balance of grief tending exercises and adventure-based activities … that really cemented the opportunities for those guys to connect on a deeper level," Ms Lane said.
Organisers say they plan to make the camp an annual event.
(
Supplied: Jess Lane
)
An opportunity to connect
Carolyn Johns, a child bereavement counsellor with the National Centre for Childhood Grief (NCCG), said camp environments could be valuable for grieving children.
"Camps and groups for bereaved children provide a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with others in a relaxed, safe way," Ms Johns said.
"
I have seen the inspiring transformation that occurs … a transformation in terms of the child's confidence, social integration, and ability to share stories about their parent or parents who have died.
"
Ms Johns said the NCCG also offered bespoke weekend camps for children with family members that had died.
The four-day camp offered activities like paintball, kayaking and minigolf.
(
Supplied: Jess Lane
)
While the Versacis hold out hope that a similar service will be established in Mackay, they are planning to return to Hervey Bay next year.
"The girls 100 per cent [will be coming back], to the point where I think they want to come back as volunteers at some point, which will be so beautiful … I'm so, so proud," Ms Versaci said.
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