{"id":578859,"date":"2025-11-18T19:13:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/578859\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T19:13:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:13:19","slug":"a-dad-shares-how-claire-house-gave-him-a-lifeline-where-he-least-expected-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/578859\/","title":{"rendered":"A dad shares how Claire House gave him a lifeline where he least expected it"},"content":{"rendered":"

As International Men\u2019s Day approaches, one Merseyside dad is sharing how Claire House Children\u2019s Hospice gave him a lifeline at a time when speaking about his grief felt impossible.<\/p>\n

When Jamie O\u2019Toole said goodbye to his baby son Milo, he felt as though his world had stopped. Milo died when he was just 11 days old, and in the months that followed, Jamie found himself unable to open up to even his closest friends and family.<\/p>\n

But an unexpected invitation from Claire House, which supported the family before and after Milo\u2019s death, became the turning point.<\/p>\n

He said:<\/strong> \u201cIn those first 12 months, I felt really isolated. It was difficult to speak to family and friends, and some people tend to forget. I really struggled,\u201d Jamie says.<\/p>\n

\"ClaireCredit: Claire House<\/p>\n

Alex Wheeler from Claire House had encouraged him to join a group of dads who played golf together, even though Jamie hadn\u2019t picked up a club in two decades. Claire House, which has a hospice in Wirral and a site in West Derby, supports babies, children and young adults with serious and terminal conditions \u2013 but it\u2019s also there for families, offering alternative ways for parents to connect and heal.<\/p>\n

Skeptical at first, Jamie wasn\u2019t sure how playing golf could help with the pain of losing a child. But after giving it a try, he found something he didn\u2019t expect: a space where talking felt easier.<\/p>\n

Jamie said: <\/strong>\u201cI entered my first Claire House golf event in April 2024, more than a year after Milo died in August 2022. I was apprehensive. I wasn\u2019t very good, but neither were most of the lads there, so I fitted in quite well,\u201d he says with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s more difficult for men to open up. The group has been really useful for that. You can talk to dads who\u2019ve been through similar things and help others too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ClaireCredit: Claire House
\n\"ClaireCredit: Claire House<\/p>\n

For Jamie, the group has become a way to keep Milo\u2019s memory close. \u201cPlaying golf and taking part in charity days keeps his memory alive. I like telling people about Milo and how much the group helps dads keep going and keep talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says the support has changed his life<\/strong>: \u201cI wasn\u2019t in a great place, and I can happily say that today I\u2019m feeling a lot better about life and looking forward to things a lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie has since spoken at the M&S Bank golf day at Carden Park and even took part in Claire House does Strictly in Liverpool, performing the rumba to raise funds for the hospice. <\/p>\n

He said:<\/strong> \u201cStrictly gave me a chance to have fun while giving something back. It felt good to do something positive in memory of Milo,\u201d <\/p>\n

The Claire House golf group is led by therapeutic support worker Alex Wheeler, who says the sessions offer much more than time on the fairway.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor many dads, grief can feel lonely, especially when they\u2019re expected to be strong. On the course, talking is optional, but when they do, it\u2019s a safe place to share, laugh and know they\u2019re not alone,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think hospices are all about endings. But so much of what we do is about helping families keep living, even after the worst has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

International Men\u2019s Day on 19 November aims to highlight men\u2019s well-being and celebrate the positive contributions they make in society.<\/p>\n

For more about Claire House, visit\u00a0their website.<\/a>
\nClaire House welcomed increased funding from UK Government for Children\u2019s Hospices. Find out more.<\/a><\/p>\n

Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n