Sandy Bear announces new Ambassador, Maya Sonvico

We are proud to share that Maya Sonvico has accepted the new role of Charity Ambassador to highlight the importance of child bereavement services and inspire others to support the Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity cause.

 Maya is a part of the Sandy Bear family and was one of the first children to be referred into the Sandy Bear service following the death of her father from cancer in 2007. She believes that the service was instrumental in helping her in later life when her brother died unexpectedly when she was just 20 years old.

 “As a teenager it is very difficult because you’re going through a lot of change,” says Maya, “there is a lot of heightened emotion at that age. Grief can fester if it is not dealt with…it was so different with the loss of my brother… I didn’t have to think ‘how am I going to get through this; how will I do this?’ as I did when my dad died.”

 “Sandy Bear gave me space to be a normal teenager whilst also helping me deal with the loss. They said: ‘this loss is a big part of you but there is so much more to you as well. I am delighted to be able to give something back like they helped me when I needed it too”.

 Ceri Crichton, Charity Development Lead said “We are over the moon that Maya has chosen to support Sandy Bear, both as Ambassador and group volunteer. She has accomplished so much despite having faced some of the most challenging circumstances in a young life and we are proud that she is our Ambassador. I very much look forward to collaborating with Maya and we would welcome more young people to join alongside her too”.