IT HAPPENED 10 years ago, but for Dr Sandra Chambers, medical officer of health for Kingston and St Andrew, the pain "still feels like yesterday".

In tears, Chambers told a gathering of health workers at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel yesterday about the emotional pain that followed after an 18-month-old patient succumbed to leukaemia.

While noting that the infant girl was on chemotherapy and that all her veins had collapsed, Chambers said the staff remained hopeful.

She told The Gleaner that nurses continued to do all they could for baby Marsha but despite their efforts, she died.

"We tried to resuscitate her," she said, explaining that she was hopeful for a miracle similar to the biblical tale of Lazarus.

After Marsha's death, Chambers said they did not know how to inform the mother.

"There is no good way to tell somebody that their child has died," said an emotional Chambers. She added: "I had to excuse myself because I didn't want to cry before the mother."

She said that in delivering news of death, caregivers have to first deal with their own emotional pain and detach themselves from the situation.

"You have to first step back. You can't be too emotional when you are telling them (parents/guardians)," said Chambers. She added that the act was interpreted as being impersonal.

Chambers said she continued to deal with the grief by blocking the memory from her mind.

All normal

But, as more and more persons shared their story, Andrea Hopwood, a bereavement coun-sellor, said "this is all normal".

Hopwood said that "grieving is not a matter of getting over the death of your loved ones".

She encouraged the gathering to "let their memories stay alive. There will be a time when you will be able to smile".

The two-day workshop, which aims to build the capacity of health-care providers in grief counselling, is a collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health.

The workshop continues today at the Terra Nova Hotel with emphasis being placed on sudden grief and caring for the caregiver.