Ladybird Care Foundation emerged from the depth of suffering, following the death of Emma ‘Lily Ladybird’ at the age of 18, beloved daughter of Wayne and Maree Pascoe. Comfort and support was difficult to find in the midst of their grief. In 2020, Wayne and four friends formed Ladybird Care Foundation to fill a void in bereavement care in Queensland.

The program is based on a Peer Mentor model, gifted by our colleagues at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, USA.

Following a successful implementation phase in Queensland Children’s Hospital, the program has now pivoted into the community setting. Specialist Bereavement professionals recruit, train and supervise volunteer Peer Mentors, with lived experience, to become the human connection of support for newly bereaved parents. No matter where a bereaved parent lives in Queensland, mentoring opportunities can be enabled via phone, video call or text, and sometimes, in person. We acknowledge that parenting lasts throughout the lifespan and extend support to parents whose child died at any age, from infancy into adulthood.