Turning Hearts Medallion

 

 

Have you ever walked by a bench with a memorial plaque (or sat on one) and reflected about the person whose name was written there? 

What were they like as a person? What were they good at? What were their hobbies? Who were their loved ones (who are now sadly left behind)? If you are like me, this happens a lot. I see a name and try to image the person they were. A life lived and now over.... and loved ones mourning their loss. Beloved family and friends who want to somehow keep their child, mum, dad, grandad, husband, wife,  etc  close and keep their memory and spirit alive. 

When Heni died, if felt like not only her life had ended but the part of my life as her mother, carer and advocate had come to an end too. I wanted to be able to continue to talk to people about her and tell them how wonderful she was. I wanted people to ask questions about her and remember her like I still do... and for a while they did.... until they didn't. 

Unfortunately as time passes, other people around you get on with their lives (and rightly so) but the desire for your dead loved one to be remembered continues on within you.

Not long after Heni's death, we put a memorial bench in a really special place on the bank of Lake Windermere (In the Lake District/England) and from time to time I get a random email (via the blog) off someone who has been to that place... sat on the bench, looked out over the view and wondered about my daughter. It is so heart warming to read their messages of gratitude and peace (for providing a place for theme to sit, contemplate their life and that of their precious others) and of course to hear their thoughts on Heni.

 

 It's moving to think that they bothered to take time out to do a search, found this blog and got to learn an little bit about her too.

So you can imagine my delight when I learned about the TURNING HEARTS MEDALLION...

 

... a small aluminium square (that looks like slate) that you can attach to a bench, grave stone or memorial. It has a unique QR code, that when scanned with a phone camera, takes you directly to an online portal. Here you can learn more about that person.  

 

I wanted one!! So I ordered one as a gift for my husband this last Christmas!

Luckily we had already decided to spend Christmas and the New Year in the Lakes and so we were able to place the medallion on Heni's bench. Since then we have been uploading memories of her for others to see. I wanted to make it easier for people. Instead of googling, they can now just scan the QR code and be sent direct to Heni's portal. Here they can see pictures and videos of her and our lives... see her, feel her spirit and hear her precious giggles.

When you actually SEE the person online like this....it makes it REAL...they are no longer just a name on a plaque... they are a PERSON. You get to see and hear what others have had, and lost.... you get to feel the love and a sense of the lives they lived. It becomes so much more than a bench. It's really quite special.   

 We decided that next time we go up to the Lakes we are going to have another square plate ordered and fix the medallion on to it at the side of the plaque (rather than on it). I think it will look better and be a better fixation. 

This is still a work in progress. As we gradually come across pictures and videos that we can upload, the portal will have more content. Anyone visiting the bench will be able to see and learn more about our special daughter. It also has a link back to this blog so that they can learn more of her story on here too. There is no limit to the amount of content you can upload and other people can become a contributor to the site too. They can also add their pictures and videos and memories of the person. To me this is truly magical...

 If you would like to know more about the medallion you can follow this link:- https://turninghearts.com?sca_ref=5257224.I0sd6xR0w7

This has a unique link to me, and a small amount of any purchase of a medallion will paid to me. I see this as a way of being able to further the blog and make people aware of health and living, death, dying and supporting people during bereavement (I always keep a few free bereavement coaching/counseling slots for people who don't have the means to pay). I also will be able to maintain Heni's bench on an on going basis.   

I hope you will try it out by scanning one of the pictures of the QR code above... and go check out Heni's portal. Let me know what you think in the comments below. 

Do you think its a good idea? How do you think it will change someones experience of the memorial bench? How do you feel it can be improved?

I personally would love to know how many people scan and visit the portal after seeing the QR code on the bench. I'd love to have access to those numbers as a user.....because as a bereaved mum... it tells me my daughter still matters and people are still interested in knowing her...

jx