Online Concert to Honour Canadians Experiencing Grief During the Pandemic

Every Canadian deserves the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, even in an unprecedented crisis such as COVID-19. There have been too many heartbreaking stories of families who were unable to say goodbye due to extreme restrictions on end-of-life visitations. As a result of these restrictions during the pandemic, many people who have lost a loved one have not been able to say goodbye, visit, and in many cases have a proper funeral or celebration of life.

In celebration of the National Bereavement Day 2020, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) is holding an online concert to honour Canadians experiencing grief during the pandemic.

The CHPCA would like to acknowledge the grief so many Canadians have experienced during these unprecedented times by holding an online concert to honour Canadians loved ones and family members who have passed during COVID-19. Canadians can add their loved one’s name to be streamed live during the concert.

Grief and bereavement support are an essential element of all care at the ends of one’s life. Caregivers, families, and friends need more help to prepare to say goodbye and to live well while grieving the loss of their loved ones. As a society, we are so focused on prolonging life and curing illness that very little thought is given to what happens to us during our journey at the ends of one’s life and to those we leave behind. CHPCA believes that it is essential for Canadians to understand that grief and bereavement support is for those who are grieving before, during, and after the course of a loved one’s journey.

The concert will air on November 15, 2020 as part of our National Bereavement Day campaign, representations from every province, featuring the following artists:

John McDermott – Tara Shannon – Alan Doyle – George Canyon – Larry Gowan – Rose McKenzie – Florent Vollant (Indigenous & French) – Kalen Wedge – Valdy – Eileen – Laverty – Ray Legere