This week is National College Student Grief Awareness Week on campus and the Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers (AMF) Support Group is spreading the word.
The theme for the 2010 Grief Awareness Week is together we cope with grief. The president N.C. State’s Students of AMF chapter, Tiffany Stringfield, said, “often, grief is perceived as a solitary activity. However, during this week, we want to encourage those who are grieving, those who know someone who is grieving and those who want to raise awareness about this very prevalent issue, to connect through positive action.”
Stringfield, a junior in biochemistry, has taken a personal interest in the organization to see that it grows and develops. “My mother died when I was 16. Students of AMF has become my niche because I can help my fellow peers through my experiences,” Stringfield said.
Students of AMF was started in 2004 at Georgetown University by David Fajgenbaum whose mother, Anne Marie, died of brain cancer during his first year in college.
“While my mom wanted me by her side during her battle, she knew that I could give her strength by going to school and making her proud,” Fajgenbaum said on the National Students of AMF Web site.
He wanted to give students who were dealing with death and illness a support group so that no one would feel like they had to deal with their grief alone. What started out as 10 people supporting one another quickly grew into 400 members at Georgetown alone.
Soon, Students of AMF was receiving inquiries from other colleges and universities across the nation on how they could start their own program. David and his friend, Ben Chesson, created the national organization in April 2006.
There are currently 66 schools participating in the program, 10 of which are located in North Carolina. N.C. State’s chapter, which started this past fall, held its first service event March 5 — five students created and brought baskets to the Hospice of Wake County. The baskets were filled with the comforts of home — blankets, candles, books, etc. — and given to patient families.
Almost 30 percent of college students have lost a family member or close friend during the past year; 35 to 48 percent of undergraduate students have lost a family member or close friend within the last 2 years. While it has been found that counseling helps students stay in school, only about 10 percent of students seek counseling as a way to deal with death- and illness-related grief.
Devon Mitchell, a junior in business administration, and secretary of the organization, said,
“Students of AMF has given me the opportunity to give back to others as well as converse with the campus community who are dealing with grief.”
Each day this week, members of the organization have been encouraged to share their own personal experiences, show their support for those who are grieving, honor those whose loss we feel every day, connect with someone who is grieving and serve others. In order to serve others, the Students of AMF will be participating in the Walk For Lupus Now Event, Sunday at North Hills Mall.
