Phoebe's Story
Eight years ago, when Phoebe was 10, her dad, Navy Operator Mechanic (OM1) James Thompson, died from skin cancer. The death of her dad at such a young age meant Phoebe, who lived with her mum and older brother, had to grow up quickly.
Eight years ago, when Phoebe was 10, her dad, Navy Operator Mechanic (OM1) James Thompson, died from skin cancer. The death of her dad at such a young age meant Phoebe, who lived with her mum and older brother, had to grow up quickly.
Her dad died on the 18th of November 2014. He was 39 years old and had spent 20 of those years serving with the Royal Navy. His death came as a shock to the whole family – it was only three weeks after his diagnosis.
Her family were introduced to Scotty’s in 2015 following a family break in Whitby. Everything she experienced as a child and the support she’s received from Scotty’s has inspired her to pursue a career in child psychology.
“Scotty’s has helped me in so many ways,” she says. “There were times after dad died, and as I’ve grown up, that I felt so low, but Scotty’s were always there and helped pick me back up again. Going back to school after dad died was particularly difficult. A lot of my friends didn’t understand what I was going through, which was really hard. It got a lot easier when I joined Scotty’s as I felt supported. I was able to talk to other people who were just like me and were going through exactly what I was going through.”
One of the first and, for Phoebe, most vital elements of support provided by Scotty’s was a respite break away as a family. They went on holiday to a Scotty Lodge on the first anniversary of her dad’s death, which gave them all valuable time together to remember him.
“It was just what we needed,” says Phoebe, “and a lovely way of keeping dad’s memory alive. It was the first anniversary of his death and such a hard time, but we were able to enjoy our time together and remember dad, which was what it was all about. I can’t thank Scotty’s enough for that experience.”
Scotty’s Christmas parties are some of our most popular events and a great time for members to meet up, have fun and remember they’re not alone.
“I was so nervous about going at first,” says Phoebe, “but I met so many other people who were just like me. Being able to talk about my dad with other children who knew what I was going through was such a big help. Just from the party alone, I’ve made so many new friends and we all keep in touch. Because of Scotty’s, I haven’t just made friends, I’ve made forever friends.”
As a young girl, Phoebe loved to dance and after her dad died, she turned to ballet as an escape. As part of the charity’s Strides programme, we provided grants to help fund her lessons.
“Receiving the grant from Scotty’s meant that mum didn’t need to struggle to find the money to pay for my lessons, and it meant I could carry on doing what I loved.”
Now 18-years-old, Phoebe is looking forward to the next stage of her life and hopes to study Psychology at university. As a Springboarder, she will continue to receive support through to the end of her education and beginning of her career.
“Having gone through all that I went through as a child, I know I want to follow a path that lets me help other children,” says Phobe. “Having Scotty’s support over the years has hugely influenced my decision on what to study, as I’ve seen first-hand how important it is.”
From the ages of 18 to 25, Phoebe will also receive support with her university tuition fees and can rest assured we are here whenever she needs us.
She said: “The Springboard programme is massively useful and it’s comforting to know that Scotty’s support is still there. Although I’m older, there are still times when I feel emotional about what happened to dad, and that won’t ever go away. Knowing that there is always someone to talk to when I need them is greatly reassuring.”
If you know a child or young person who has experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces, they could be eligible for specialist bereavement support from Scotty's Little Soldiers. Hundreds of bereaved military children aren’t getting the support they need but we are here to help.
