We are delighted to conclude the 2024 Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Summit, held from November 20-22, 2024 In Richmond, BC. This year, we were joined by 224 incredible individuals from across the grief, bereavement, and mental health fields. We are deeply grateful to the 66 speakers, facilitators, and moderators whose expertise, insights, and passion made this summit truly impactful.
Our summit was proud to foster diversity and inclusivity by welcoming participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, as well as 2SLBTQIA+ individuals, people with lived experiences, and members of various underserved communities and communities of color. We are also grateful for the generous funding received from the Vancouver Foundation, which supported our efforts to create an event that truly reflects and celebrates this diversity.
As a triannual event, the GBMH Summit remains a vital platform for critical conversations and interdisciplinary education. Building on the success of our inaugural 2021 summit, we are proud to have explored key topics that continue to shape the future of grief and mental health support This year’s summit offered three specialized streams, Patients and Caregivers, Interdisciplinary Care Teams, and Funders & Policymakers, with tailored discussions designed to enhance support and understanding across these vital areas. Attendees also engaged in inspiring keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities that fostered collaboration and connection.
The Gala Night provided a memorable conclusion to the event, with attendees celebrating a live performance by the award-winning Indigenous band, Twin Flames. The evening also offered a platform to recognize SOSJ, a philanthropic organization that supports local, provincial, and national projects focused on palliative care, neurodivergence, and research initiatives. Their ongoing efforts are vital in advancing the care and support needed in these important sectors.
A comprehensive Summit Report will be released in the new year, capturing key insights and takeaways from the event. This report will be shared with attendees, funders, and policymakers, highlighting both formal and informal care supports in the grief and bereavement space. It will focus on strategies for enhancing mental health and promoting better support for individuals in our communities.
We thank everyone who participated in making this summit a resounding success. Your engagement, passion, and commitment to improving the landscape of grief, bereavement, and mental health will leave a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing this important work together and seeing you at our next summit in 2027!
As one attendee shared, "Not enough words to express the impact of this presentation on me personally and hopefully professionally." This sentiment reflects the profound impact this event had on all of us, and we are deeply grateful for your participation.
The sessions Insights on Resilience Through Loss: Lessons from Science and Life presented by Lucy Hone on Day 3 and Revealing and Reimagining Our Relationships to Grief and Loss presented by Larissa Crawford on Day 2 were both incredibly well-attended and deeply impactful. These thought-provoking presentations captivated a large and diverse audience, sparking meaningful conversations on resilience, grief, and the human experience. Attendees left with valuable insights and practical tools to navigate loss, making these sessions a standout feature of the summit.
For those who couldn’t attend or wish to revisit these impactful sessions, recordings and PowerPoint presentations will be available to BCHPCA members for a minimal fee. To ensure the knowledge and insights from this summit are accessible to as many people as possible, we are offering the pre-recorded sessions free of charge to representatives of underserved communities and to patients from the general public. All GBMH attendees and registrants will receive access to the recordings and PowerPoints via Pheedloop, which will be delivered directly to their email over the next few weeks.
