Mark Coderre, chair of Metro Vancouver’s Steps For Life Walk organizing committee

The Threads of Life website describes it as a journey.

They’re talking about suddenly losing a loved one, which is something I know about first-hand, after my son’s dad died suddenly in a mountain bike accident nearly six months ago.

Even though it wasn’t at the workplace, the experience helps me to understand what it’s like for the families helped by Threads of Life.

Thankfully, my son and I have lots of support and community – but for those who need it, I’m glad to know Threads for Life is there for families dealing what we’ve been processing these last few months.

Support for Canadian families

Threads for Life supports more than 1,100 families with:

• A Family Support Program offering one-on-one peer support to family members and friends who have suffered from a workplace tragedy. The support is provided by trained Volunteer Family Guides who have also experienced a workplace tragedy.
• A support network for those who have experienced similar pain & suffering
• Links to community support services
• Advisory support regarding the workplace investigation and inquest process & opportunities to promote workplace injury prevention and awareness within their own community.

Steps for Life

I recently got an email from Mark Coderre, chair of Metro Vancouver’s Steps for Life Walk organizing committee. This annual memorial walk is sponsored by Threads of Life, supported by volunteers across Canada, like Mark.

“This will be the 4th year for the event and we feel it’s time to make this walk the event to be at for NAOSH Week activities,” Mark said. “The Metro Vancouver Organizing Committee is hard at work going after corporate and community sponsorship at all levels. (National Sponsors must be completed by December 7th). We are also going to try and get a lot more teams and corporate challenges occurring.”

Visit the Threads of Life website if you are interested in finding out more about sponsorship, donation, and volunteer opportunities. In the case of workplace incidents, the beginning of NAOSH Week is a good time to remember people who died on the job. Think about the loss – and the pain it leaves behind – then do all we can to prevent more families from suffering.