Threads of life is a national registered charity dedicated to supporting families
along their journey of healing who have suffered from a workplace
fatality, life-altering illness or occupational disease. We help these families protect
future generations of Canadian workers.
Our Mission
Our mission is to help families heal through a community of support and to promote the elimination of life-altering workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.
Our Vision
Threads of Life will lead and inspire a culture shift as a result of which work related injuries and illnesses are morally, socially and economically unacceptable.
Our Values
We believe that:
Caring: Caring helps and heals
Listening: Listening can ease pain and suffering
Sharing: Sharing our personal losses will lead to healing and preventing future devastating work related losses.
Respect: Personal experiences of loss and grief need to be honored and respected.
Health: Health and safety begin in our heads, hearts and hands, in everyday actions.
Passion: Passionate individuals can change the world.
Threads of Life provides
families with one-on-one peer support assistance and
guidance within the health and safety system. It provides families with opportunities to promote public
awareness and accountability for workplace health and
safety.
The
Founders
Threads of Life was officially launched on April 14, 2003 in
Toronto, Ontario. Sixty family members and friends of
fatality injured workers from across the country attended
the launch. These mothers, fathers, siblings and friends
gathered together to share their experiences, and learn how
this new organization will help them and other Canadian
families suffering from a similar traumatic experience.
Threads of Life was created as a result of families and
friends working together and identifying a major gap in our
country’s social, health and safety system. Our founders
include;
Shirley Hickman, Mother of Tim Hickman
Paul Kells, Father of Sean Kells
Sharon Peat, Step-mother of Amanda Peat
Alec Farquhar, Ontario Ministry of Labour
Clarence MacPherson, Ontario Federation of Labour
Wayne Samuelson, Ontario Federation of Labour
Maureen Shaw, Industrial Accident Prevention Association
Board of Directors
Advisory Committee
Members
- Families affected by a
workplace fatalities;
- Families who have a
loved one affected by a life-altering injuries;
- Families who have a
loved one affected by an occupational disease.
Why We Need Threads of Life
Each year in Canada, over three people are killed on-the-job
every working day. Three people who have a parent, siblings,
a wife, a husband, children and friends who are devastated
by this tragic loss. One loss is one too
many.
Thousands of Canadians have
been woven together by a workplace tragedy in need of grief
counseling; crisis intervention support; healthy coping
skills; workplace investigations and inquiries support;
financial compensation; community building and a voice to
help prevent other Canadian families from experiencing the
same pain and suffering.
What We Do
Threads of Life provides
families suffering from a workplace fatality, life-altering
injury or occupational disease with the only one-on-one peer support
program in the world by trained Volunteer Family Guides.
These Volunteer Family Guides have also experienced their
own workplace tragedy so they understand what other families
go through.
Threads of Life also provides families with opportunities to promote
injury prevention and accountability for workplace health and
safety by joining our Speakers Bureau or participating in
the annual 5K Steps for Life - Walking for Victims of
Workplace Tragedy event the first Sunday in May.
Families have identified
that these services help fill a gap in our country's social, health
and safety systems. Threads of Life is supported by a
network of volunteers from across the country who have been
personally touched by a workplace tragedy. Working with
provincial workers' compensation boards and governments,
Threads of Life assists
families by providing:
- a Family Support
Program which offers one-on-one peer support to family
members and friends who have suffered a workplace
tragedy
- links to professional
support services
- a support network to
those who have experienced similar pain and suffering;
- advisory support
regarding the workplace investigation and inquest
process;
- opportunities to
promote workplace injury prevention and awareness within
their own community.
Threads of Life members
believe there is a:
- Time to heal
- Time to speak
- Time to weave hope for
others
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