Tag Archives: mental health carers

Carers Connect Southwark: Why Your Voice Matters More Than Ever

By Matthew McKenzie – A Caring Mind

If you’re an unpaid carer in Southwark, chances are you’re used to putting everyone else first. You support a loved one day in, day out, emotionally, practically, often invisibly. And too often, decisions about “support” for carers are made without carers truly being heard.

Southwark Council is developing its Unpaid Carers Strategy, and they are inviting unpaid carers to take part in upcoming focus groups to share real experiences, which are your lived reality.

As an unpaid carer myself, I know how rare and valuable this opportunity is.

Why having your say is important because

Policies and strategies shape:

  • What support is available
  • How easy (or hard) it is to access help
  • Whether carers feel recognised, supported, and understood

When carers don’t speak up, systems are built around us, not with us. When we do speak up, its a chance to make change becomes possible.

This isn’t about complaining.
It’s about being honest: what works, what doesn’t, and what would genuinely make life easier for carers in Southwark.

Your voice could help shape:

  • Better access to information and services
  • More flexible, carer-friendly support
  • A strategy that reflects the real pressures carers face

A safe, non-judgemental space

One of the most important things about these focus groups is that they are designed to be:

  • Non-judgemental
  • Inclusive
  • Open to carers with any level of responsibility

You don’t need to have all the answers.
You don’t need to be an “expert”.
You just need your experience.

Whether you care full-time, part-time, occasionally, or don’t even label yourself as a “carer” your perspective still counts.

Focus group dates and details

In-person focus groups
📅 24th February
⏰ 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm
📍 Harriet Hardy Community Centre
Harriet-Hardy Building, Aylesbury Estate, Albany Road, Walworth SE5 0AH

Online focus group
📅 25th February
⏰ 7pm
💻 Virtual session via Microsoft Teams

How to get involved

You can:

Even attending one session can make a difference — not just for you, but for other carers now and in the future.

A personal note from me

As unpaid carers, we are often exhausted, overlooked, and expected to “just cope”. Opportunities like this don’t come around often.

Why Unpaid Carers Must Be in the Lecture Theatre – Not Just the Waiting Room

By Matthew McKenzie, A Caring Mind (Carers UK Ambassador)

As an unpaid mental health carer, I have spent years navigating hospital corridors, GP practices, care plans, juggling crises, and long silences where carers are too often left out. I am sure unpaid carers are expected to hold families together, while notice early warning signs, and keep loved ones safe. Still I always mention most of us receive no formal training, and our knowledge is rarely recognised as expertise.

That is why recently teaching a module for the Masters course to mental health nursing students at King’s College London felt so important. Not after they qualify. Not once they are overwhelmed in practice. But before they step out into the field. The session took place 15th of January.

Why carer-led teaching matters

Unpaid carers sit at the sharp edge of the mental health system. We see what works, what harms, and what gets missed when professionals don’t fully understand the family context. When students hear directly from carers, learning moves beyond textbooks into real life into the emotional, practical, and ethical realities of care.

Training mental health professionals without carer voices is like teaching navigation without a map.

What I taught: lived experience as learning

The session I delivered was built entirely from a carer’s perspective and centred on one core message: you cannot deliver effective mental health care without working with carers.

The module covered:

  • My lived experience as an unpaid mental health carer
    How I became a carer, the emotional impact, the daily responsibilities, and the toll caring can take on mental and physical health.
  • The hidden impact on carers
    Burnout, stigma, isolation, guilt, and the reality that many carers are supporting professionals while receiving little support themselves.
  • Carers as partners, not problems
    Exploring what happens when carers are ignored – and how outcomes improve when they are listened to, informed, and included.
  • The Triangle of Care
    A strong emphasis on the Triangle of Care framework: the partnership between service user, carer, and professional. I challenged students to see carers as a vital link in the chain, not an optional extra.
  • Carers UK and carer identification
    Highlighting the role of Carers UK in advocacy, rights, resources, and why professionals must help carers identify themselves early so they can access support.
  • Practical skills for future nurses
    Listening without defensiveness, sharing information appropriately, involving carers in care planning, and understanding when carers need support themselves.
  • Interactive discussion and reflection
    Students worked through real-life scenarios, asking: What would I do differently now that I understand the carer experience?

The shift we need in education

Most unpaid carers are not trained for their role. We learn through crisis, exhaustion, and trial and error. Mental health professionals, however, are trained, which means universities have a responsibility to ensure that training includes those of us living this reality every day.

Carer-led teaching builds empathy, improves communication, and ultimately leads to safer, more effective care. When students learn early that carers matter, they carry that mindset into practice.

A final thought

Unpaid carers are already part of the mental health workforce, it’s just the title unpaid, unsupported, and often unheard. So I feel bringing carers into universities is not a “nice extra”. It is absolutely essential.

If we want a mental health system that truly works, we must start by listening to those who never clock off.

Poetry Submissions for Minority Carers in Mental Health Care: Share Your Voice

Matthew McKenzie FRSA BEM, poet and advocate for unpaid ethnic mental health carers, is inviting carers involved in NHS Trusts, PCREF (Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework), and Trust involvement registers to submit their poems for an upcoming 2026 poetry collection. This collection will spotlight minority carers’ voices and explore themes of race, culture, and lived experience in mental health care.

About the Poetry Collection

The collection will focus on amplifying minority carers’ experiences through poetry. It will be part of the paperback version of Matthew’s upcoming poetry book Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken and will include poems from carers all over the country. This is a unique opportunity for minority ethnic carers to have their voices heard and their stories shared on a national platform, contributing to the ongoing conversation about race equality, care, and mental health.

Why Should You Submit a Poem?

If you’re a minority carer or carers from underrepresented community, your voice matters. PCREF is committed to creating systemic change, and this collection will work alongside it to ensure that carers from minority communities are not left unheard. Submitting your poem gives you the chance to:

  • Raise awareness of the emotional, cultural, and psychological realities of being a carer.
  • Inspire others by sharing your lived experience.
  • Amplify minority voices within NHS Trusts, PCREF spaces, and mental health care systems.

Who Can Submit?

We welcome submissions from unpaid ethnic mental health carers who are:

  • Involved in NHS Trusts, PCREF, or trust involvement registers.
  • Attending ethnic mental health carer peer groups at carer centres
  • Interested in sharing their personal experiences and reflections through poetry.

How to Submit Your Poem:

  • Submit an original poem that reflects the emotional, cultural, and psychological realities of being an unpaid mental health carer.
  • Poems can focus on themes such as:
    • Emotional challenges of care
    • The hidden burden of caring
    • Resilience and survival
    • Navigating mental health services
    • Coping with racial and cultural barriers in care
    • Family dynamics in caregiving
  • Deadline for submissions is late April 2026.

Submission Guidelines:

  1. Format: Poems can be submitted in Word, PDF, or plain text format.
  2. Length: There is no strict length, but we recommend that submissions be no longer than 1 page.
  3. Multiple submissions: You can submit more than one poem if desired.
  4. Contact Information: Please include your full name, contact details along with your poem, so i can credit you. Unless you wish to be anonymous.

How to Submit:

You can also reach out to Matthew directly if you have any questions about the submission process or the collection.

What Happens After You Submit?

Once submissions are received, I will review all entries and select poems that align with the themes of the collection. All selected poets will be notified and credited in the final publication.

Need Inspiration or Support?

If you’re unsure where to start or need some encouragement, consider reflecting on your personal journey as a carer. Think about moments where language failed to express your experience or times when your strength surprised you. Your story is valuable, and this collection is about lifting up voices that have often been overlooked.

Contact Information:

For any questions or additional information, please contact Matthew McKenzie:

Submit Your Poem and Be Part of the Change

This is your chance to raise awareness and inspire others by sharing your lived experiences through poetry. Help shape a future where minority carers are valued, heard, and recognized for the essential work they do. We look forward to reading your stories!

Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken: A New Spoken Word Poem

By Matthew Mckenzie – facilitator of national ethnic mental health carers forum

I’m pleased to share “Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken”, a spoken word poetry video that marks the first poem released from my forthcoming poetry collection of the same name.

This first poem speaks from within the lived reality of unpaid mental health carers, particularly those from ethnic and marginalised communities whose labour is often overlooked, misunderstood, or taken for granted. It reflects moments many carers will recognise: waiting rooms, misrecognition, quiet endurance, and the strength it takes to keep showing up without acknowledgement.

🎥 Watch the spoken word video here:

The wider collection I am currently working on brings together poems shaped by care, fatigue, love, resilience, and survival. It is a body of work rooted in lived experience and community voices, offering poetry not only as expression, but as witness and affirmation.

This first poem sets the tone for what is to come, promoting honest, reflective, and unapologetic in its call for carers to be seen, heard, and respected.

This work is part of my ongoing commitment through my A Caring Mind youtube channel to use creativity as a way to challenge stigma, amplify unheard voices, and centre care as a vital social contribution.

More poems from this collection will be shared in the coming months.

Hospital Carer Discharge Meeting – November Update 2025

Chaired by: Matthew McKenzie – Lived Experience Carer

Welcome to the November 2025 update of the Hosptial Carer discharge group. The Hospital Carer Discharge Group is a collaborative network chaired by lived-experience carer Matthew McKenzie, bringing together unpaid carers, carer-centre teams, hospital staff and local authority representatives to improve how carers are identified, supported and involved throughout a patient’s hospital journey.

The group provides a space to share updates from hospitals and carers’ organisations, highlight challenges in discharge processes, strengthen links between community and acute services, and promote consistent carer-focused practices such as using the Carers Hospital Discharge Toolkit, developing standard operating procedures, and raising staff awareness.

The November meeting focused updates from the South East London Carer Standard Operating Procedure pilot, improving carer identification, strengthening links between community and hospital services, and practical challenges in engaging hospital teams.

For those who don’t know, In the context of the Hospital Carer Discharge an SOP is a step-by-step, structured process that hospital staff follow to ensure unpaid carers are identified, informed, supported and included consistently during a patient’s hospital stay and discharge.

It usually outlines:

  • How to record, communicate and follow up on carer involvement
  • Who is responsible at each stage (nurses, discharge teams, carer services)
  • What actions must be taken (e.g., asking about caring roles, sharing information, making referrals)
  • When these actions should happen (admission, treatment phase, discharge planning)

Who Attended

The session was well attended by a mix of carers, hospital representatives, and carer-centre staff, including:

Carer representatives

  • Matthew McKenzie – Chair; lived experience mental health carer; Carers UK, Carers Trust & NHS England Citizens Advisory Group volunteer.
  • Caroline – Lewisham carer, Healthwatch Lewisham member & Patient Experience Committee representative.
  • Various peer supporters, carers involved in local networks and PPGs.

Carer support organisations

  • Carers Hub Lambeth
  • Tower Hamlets Carer Centre
  • Wandsworth Carer Centre
  • North Central London Carers Support Project

Apologies

  • Sutton Carers Centre
  • Richmond Carers Centre
  • Greenwich Carers Centre
  • Harrow Carers Centre
  • Bromley Well
  • IMAGO – Lewisham carers Centre
  • Bexley Carers Support
  • Involve Kent

Hospitals & NHS staff

  • Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust)
  • Public Service Consultants (PSC)
  • Bromley, Lambeth, Lewisham, Greenwich council leads (mentioned in discussion)
  • St George’s Hospital (GESH) – references to staff

Meeting Overview

  • The growing importance of carer involvement in hospitals, especially with mental health pressures and changes to the Mental Health Act.
  • The group’s purpose: sharing updates, strengthening links between carers and hospitals, and improving the implementation of the Carers Hospital Discharge Toolkit.

Key Presentation – Update on the South East London Carer SOP Pilot

Speaker: Public Service Consultants (PSC)

The major portion of the meeting focused on the pilot testing of a new 11-step Standard Operating Procedure for identifying and supporting unpaid carers across hospitals in South East London.

🔹 Hospitals involved in the SOP pilot

  1. King’s College Hospital – Acute Medicine ward
  2. University Hospital Lewisham – Hawthorne (older patients) and Alder (specialty medicine) wards
  3. Princess Royal University Hospital (Bromley) – Frailty Unit via Transfer of Care Hub

🔹 Key outcomes

  • King’s College Hospital saw the strongest progress.
    • Nurses proactively engaged unpaid carers.
    • All leaflets and materials were distributed within weeks.
    • Carer details (with consent) were passed to Lambeth Carers Hub.
    • Nursing staff requested feedback loops to see the impact of referrals.
  • Lewisham Hospital
    • Progress slower initially; improved after site visits.
    • Ward managers highly supportive and embedding SOP practices.
    • Lewisham Council exploring funding for an in-hospital carers support team.
  • Princess Royal (Bromley)
    • SOP and leaflets now shared with the frailty unit.
    • Council to continue taking work forward.

🔹 Overall reflections

  • Hospitals still experience heavy winter pressures and staff capacity issues.
  • Engagement differs widely between NHS trusts.
  • Many ward teams had never seen the London Carers Toolkit, indicating a need for simplification.
  • Councils intend to continue cross-borough meetings after PSC’s involvement ends.

Issues & Discussion Points

1. Gaps in consistency across hospital sites

  • Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) had not been part of the pilot, they have requested to be included
  • Staff expressed interest in adopting SOP materials and joining future rollout.

2. Carer diversity and training needs

Caroline highlighted the need for:

  • Training reflecting different care needs: LD, dementia, mental health, elderly carers.
  • Cultural diversity considerations in how carers interact with hospital teams.
  • Better alignment with Lewisham & Greenwich’s Compassion in Care programme.

3. Current SOP scope limitations

  • SOP starts at the ward stage, but carers need involvement pre-admission and post-discharge.
  • Best practice from NICE and the national toolkit emphasises whole-journey support.

4. Hospital culture & resistance

Carer-centre staff described feeling:

  • Like a “hindrance” in MDT or discharge meetings
  • Sometimes unwelcome or blocked from engaging on wards
  • Fighting clinical priorities vs. carer rights
  • Still needing major awareness-raising to reduce resistance

A carer noted power imbalances and the risk that carers are seen as “barriers to discharge” rather than essential partners.

Updates from Carer Centres & Hospital Teams

Carers Hub Lambeth

  • Significant increase in referrals, especially from King’s.
  • Engagement seems weaker at Guy’s & St Thomas’, it looks to be still pushing for a stronger carers strategy there, but hopeful the strategy should pick up.
  • Working with ward rounds and direct conversations with carers.

North Central London Carers Project

Working across 8 hospital sites, possilbly

  • Royal Free Hospital
  • Barnet Hospital
  • North Middlesex Hospital
  • Chase Farm Hospital
  • The Whittington Hospital
  • University College Hospital
  • St Pancras Rehabilitation (Camden and West London)
  • Community Central London Trust 
  • North London Foundation Trust (Mental Health)

Updates include:

  • A hospital “menu” to track progress across the toolkit (training, comms, discharge planning).
  • Embedding carers into induction programmes.
  • Co-authoring discharge documentation at St Pancras Rehab Centre with dedicated “carer sections”.
  • Upcoming use of Cerner electronic records system to automatically flag carers.

Tower Hamlets Carer Centre

Carer representative based at Royal London Hospital (east London)

Challenges include:

  • Slow referrals & reliance on staff awareness
  • Some carers only identified at crisis stage
  • Need to expand the carers passport across Royal London
  • Hackney pilot ends in March concerns about future funding

Wandsworth Carer Centre / St George’s

SONY DSC
  • Developing carer awareness training with Patient Experience Team
  • Growth in referrals after training sessions, though staff forget over time
  • Plan to expand ward coverage
  • As chair I shared St George’s new Carers Charter as a tool for accountability

Carer-Led Developments in Primary Care

A group of Lewisham unpaid carers has begun major work with GP practices, including:

  • Creating a PCN-wide carers information pack
  • Ensuring carer champions in GP surgeries
  • Working with pharmacies to distribute information
  • Improving identification on GP systems
  • Exploring alignment with Lewisham’s new Carers Action Plan

Plans for the Future

  • More invitations to NHS carer strategy leads
  • Sharing SOP materials with non-pilot hospitals where possible.
  • Matthew to link contacts across councils and hospitals for ongoing monitoring, being the following boroughs e.g.

Lewisham

  • Assistant Director – Adult Mental Health & Wellbeing
  • Joint Commissioner – Adult Mental Health & Wellbeing

Greenwich

  • Strategic Commissioning Lead
  • Commissioning Lead for Carers

Bromley

  • Assistant Director – Commissioning
  • Commissioning Officer

Bexley

  • Service Manager – Adult Social Care

Lambeth

  • Integrated Commissioning Manager – Adults and Health

Southwark

  • Strategic Programmes Manager
  • Commissioning Manager

Medium-term aims

  • Push for in-hospital carer support teams in Lewisham & Greenwich.
  • Expand training and embed carers into staff induction.
  • Improve pre-admission and discharge-planning pathways on carer identification and involvement for familes and carers.
  • Stronger collaboration between LD nurses, dementia teams, and carers services.

Longer-term aspirations

  • Greater consistency across trusts
  • Unified carers strategy within each hospital
  • A system where carers are routinely recognised, supported, and involved in decisions

Closing Remarks

As cchair I closed the meeting by thanking attendees and acknowledging the collective effort to improve carers’ experiences across London hospitals. I reaffirmed the importance of:

  • Making carers visible
  • Ensuring rights are upheld
  • Strengthening trust–carer relationships
  • Carrying learning into the new year

The next meeting will be scheduled in January, with hopes of smoother cross-hospital collaboration in 2024.

The Digital Revolution in Unpaid Care: Empowering Carers Through Technology

From Matthew McKenzie carer activist

For Unpaid carers those who support loved ones living with long-term physical or mental health conditions, they face a unique set of challenges. The role is often demanding, emotionally taxing, and can feel isolating. Yet, in recent years, the rapid advancement of digital tools, apps, and online platforms has begun to transform the landscape of unpaid care, offering new avenues for support, organization, and connection.

My blog is a short transcript of my longer video below

Drawing from the lived experience as a passionate advocate for unpaid carers and an IT professional, my article and video explores how digitization, artificial intelligence, and mobile technology are reshaping the way informal carers manage their responsibilities. We’ll delve into the practical benefits, the most useful apps, and the limitations of technology in the caring role, providing a comprehensive guide for carers seeking to harness digital tools for their own well-being and the well-being of those they support.

Understanding the Role of Technology in Unpaid Care

The Growing Demands on Carers

Unpaid carers often juggle multiple responsibilities: managing medication schedules, tracking symptoms, coordinating appointments, and advocating for their loved ones with health professionals. The emotional and cognitive load can be overwhelming, especially when combined with work, family, and personal commitments.

As I points out, “As humans, we can only remember things so often. So, especially when we’re getting older or if we are under a lot of stress trying to juggle our caring role and busy lives, it does help to have apps that can schedule these things.”

The Promise of Digitization

Digitization offers carers a “second brain”, a way to offload tasks, reminders, and information, reducing stress and mental clutter. Mobile phones, now more powerful than ever, serve as hubs for health management, communication, and emotional support. But while technology can be transformative, it’s not without its challenges, including digital literacy, access, and the irreplaceable of value of human connection.

The Future of Care: Technology as an Empowering Force

The digital revolution is reshaping unpaid care, offering carers new ways to manage responsibilities, connect with others, and support their own well-being. While technology is not a replacement, it can be a powerful ally, reducing stress, improving organization, and fostering community.

As my experience shows, embracing digital tools can transform the caring journey. By leveraging apps for health management, communication, and emotional support, carers can reclaim control, reduce isolation, and find new sources of strength.

Ultimately, the goal is not to replace human kindness or connection, but to empower carers with the tools they need to thrive. With thoughtful adoption and ongoing support, technology can help unpaid carers navigate the challenges of their role and build a brighter, more connected future.

Resources and Recommendations my video covers

Essential Apps for Carers

  • Pill Reminder: Medication management and alerts
  • Medsafe: Medication tracking and scheduling
  • NHS App: Health records, care plans, and feedback (UK)
  • Google Calendar / Microsoft Outlook: Appointment and routine management
  • To-Do List / Trello: Task organization
  • Zoom / Microsoft Teams / Google Chat: Virtual support groups and communication
  • Siri / Google Assistant: Voice commands and reminders
  • AI Journals / Well-being Apps: Emotional support and mindfulness

Tips for Safe and Effective Use

  • Choose reputable apps with strong privacy policies
  • Keep software updated to ensure security
  • Seek training or support if you’re new to digital tools
  • Balance online and offline support for holistic well-being

Conclusion

Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of our communities, providing vital support to those living with long-term ill health. The rise of digital tools and technology offers new hope, making the caring role more manageable, less isolating, and more connected.

By embracing digitization, carers can streamline their responsibilities, access emotional support, and build resilient communities. While challenges remain, the future of care is bright, powered by technology and the enduring spirit of human kindness.

Calling All Carers: Get Involved with the OSMOSIS Research Project

Blog by Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist

As someone who’s been advocating for carers for years through A Caring Mind, I know how important it is that carers’ experiences influence the way support systems are built. The OSMOSIS project offers a real chance to help improve understanding and services for those of us supporting loved ones with severe mental health conditions.

If you are caring for someone living with psychosis, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, here’s an opportunity to make your voice heard.

Continue reading →

Lewisham, Southwark & Lambeth carer forum update September 2025

By Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist and facilitator of the group

The group is a community of carers in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham that exists to provide support, advocacy, and connection for people looking after loved ones living with mental illness. It brings together unpaid carers of all ages and backgrounds to share experiences, learn from one another, and build confidence in dealing with health and social care professionals. A core part of its mission is reducing isolation by creating a safe space where carers can speak openly, develop skills, and access practical resources like advocacy services.

The meeting began with introductions and updates from various participants, including myselff where I discussed work with London Hospitals and the NHS app, while other carers introduced themselves to the group. In attendance was Tama from PohWer presented information about carer complaints and support services across different regions, including discussions about the potential impact of Healthwatch’s dissolution on patient and carer support services.

Continue reading →

Hospital Carers Discharge toolkit Meeting Update September 2025

By Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist

London Carer Organizations Network Update

The meeting focused on introductions and updates from various organizations supporting unpaid carers across London. Matthew McKenzie facilitated the session, introducing participants from different boroughs and organizations, including

  • NHS England
  • Healthwatch (local advisory committee involvement)
  • North Central London Carer Support Project (covering Barnet, Haringey, Camden, Enfield, and Islington)
  • The PSE (supporting South East London local authorities: Bexley, Bromley, Lambeth, Lewisham, Greenwich, and Southwark)
  • Richmond Borough Mind
  • Richmond Carers Centre
  • Kingston Carers Network
  • St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group
  • Sutton Carers Centre
  • Carers Hub Lambeth (supporting unpaid carers, with hospital carers leads at King’s College Hospital and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital)
  • Lewisham carers services (Imargo service manager)

Apologies from

Bromley Wells
Bexley Carers Support
Greenwich Carers
Ealing Carers Partnership
Tower Hamlets Carers Centre

NHS England updates including Universal Care Plan Updates

A representative from NHS England highlighted good news about the Hospital Discharge Toolkit, which had been originally developed in London by Debbie Hustings. The toolkit has already been adopted across much of southwest London with strong results. Recently, all NHS regions were asked to contribute work on hospital discharge, focusing particularly on carers’ experiences. When this went up to the Executive Quality Board at the national level, the London toolkit received recognition. The recommendation that came back was that all regions should develop something similar they could adopt London’s version directly or tailor one for their own needs. The representative stressed that this kind of recognition is significant because it helps the toolkit be taken more seriously and provides momentum for further rollout

Continue reading →

Interview with Elsie

Caring for a loved one is a role that often goes unseen and undervalued. In this interview, Matthew McKenzie speaks with Elsie, a 73-year-old carer and activist, about her journey as an unpaid carer, the challenges she’s faced, and her mission to support others walking the same path.

Standing Strong for Carers’ Rights

Elsie refuses to be silenced. Though at times labeled as a “persistent, unreasonable complainer,” she sees her persistence as a duty to her loved ones and to other carers. For her, raising concerns is about advocating for better care and systemic improvements.

Her advice to carers is simple but powerful:

  • Trust your instincts.
  • Don’t give up until your loved one gets the right care.
  • Learn about carers’ rights and stay engaged in decisions.

Finding Strength in Words

In a deeply moving moment, Elsie shared a poem she had written for the Book of Remembrance at Honor Oak Crematorium, in memory of her son. Her words reflect not only grief but also strength, love, and the motivation to keep advocating for change.

You’ll always be our hero.
Although you’re gone, we’re not apart.
Our love for you keeps going,
It stays deep within our hearts.

Football, food and fishing
Were what it was all about.
Blue is the color,
Come on, you lions, to shout.