Rainbow launched at Torquay Library

A NEW book to help children grieving the loss of a parent to brain cancer was launched on Friday night at Torquay Library.

Author-illustrator Tracey Newnham realised the need for In the Rainbow while she and her two young sons were grieving for her partner Wes Crooke, who had a recurrent brain cancer and died in 2014, aged 37.

In hospital, shortly before he passed away, Ms Newnham asked her partner to make his presence felt to the family in the form of rainbows.

In the months after the funeral she and their sons began to find rainbows appearing in the house where they had never noticed them before.

After advice from a counsellor, Ms Newnham encouraged the boys to draw rainbows when they were feeling the emotions of grief – if they were sad at day care, or if they were overwhelmed with anger.

The book is about this experience, and is intended to be read with an adult carer, counsellor or teacher supporting the child and allowing them to interpret the meanings.

The book will remind children they are entitled to feel sad, but that they are also entitled to feel joy without feelings of guilt.

In the Rainbow is available to purchase at intherainbow.com.au for $24.95, with supporting worksheets for primary school teachers now in development.

Tracey was supported in writing the book by Brittany McGill, a clinical psychologist at the UNSW School of Women’s and Children’s Health.