Compassionate Friends Johannesburg offers support to bereaved families in 2026
Losing a child, sibling, or grandchild is a grief unlike any other, but The Compassionate Friends Johannesburg offers a place of understanding, comfort, and hope. As the year ends, discover how they supported families in 2025 and their plans to reach even more in 2026.
Losing a family member is one of life’s most painful experiences, but the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild can leave a grief so profound that it feels impossible to bear alone. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) Johannesburg offers a sanctuary for those navigating this heartache, providing understanding, companionship, and hope when it is needed most.
As 2025 draws to a close, Andrea Berzen, head of the Johannesburg chapter, reflected on a year of growth and connection. “We are grateful that our focused efforts allowed us to extend peer support, comfort, and hope to even more bereaved families. Our aim for 2026 is to continue reaching every parent, sibling, and grandparent who needs us,” she said.
This year saw remarkable developments for TCF Johannesburg.
Monthly support group attendance increased by 50%, underscoring the urgent need for compassionate spaces where grief can be shared and held. The annual Candle Lighting Ceremony in November, a treasured moment to honour and remember children who have passed, welcomed its largest turnout yet, rising from 81 attendees in 2024 to 125 this year.
To better serve the community, TCF Johannesburg introduced a dedicated support group for bereaved siblings and an infant-loss group, joining long-standing general grief and suicide grief groups. A surge in volunteer numbers, up 55%, alongside newly trained lay counsellors, has strengthened the organisation’s ability to support more families with care and compassion.
Digital engagement also grew. Monthly online support groups and counselling sessions were introduced, the website and resource platform were refreshed, and the closed Facebook group now approaches 1 000 active members.
A new public Facebook page broadens awareness, while outreach campaigns with private schools resumed post-Covid, with plans to expand into public schools in the coming year. A generous donation of R15 000 allowed the organisation to revamp its database, ensuring counsellors can maintain effective outreach and keep members informed.
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Looking ahead to 2026, TCF Johannesburg plans to transform its monthly newsletter into a more engaging online format, expand sibling support initiatives, and continue raising awareness about suicide, an issue affecting many families.
The chapter also hopes to grow corporate partnerships and host fundraising events such as a golf day and remembrance walk.
The Compassionate Friends Johannesburg welcomes financial donations and stationery contributions to help sustain its vital work. Families seeking support, or those wishing to join a group, can find more information at www.compassionatefriends.co.za, contact tcfsa@mweb.co.za, tcfjhbsa@gmail.com, or reach out via WhatsApp on 078 147 2705.
The office is located at 122 Athol Street, Highlands North, Johannesburg.
Through unwavering support and community connection, The Compassionate Friends Johannesburg continues to offer a beacon of light, helping families carry their memories with love and hope into the new year.
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