For Uma, the bracelet has become a way to carry on what never disappears – love.
– Giving away this membership bracelet means more than words can describe. It becomes a way for me to honor my dad and tell our story. I love him and always will, she says.
I had the best dad in the world
Uma lives in Stockholm and is studying to become a social worker. She dreams of working to help people through life's various challenges. But since her dad got sick, life has changed in a way that is difficult to put into words.
– I still find it hard to try to remember what life was like before Dad got cancer. It feels like life before is a compressed lump and in a way a completely different life.
What she remembers most clearly is who her dad was.
– He was happy, positive, active, and street-smart. I could ask him almost anything about life and he had a wise answer. He was full of emotions and incredibly empathetic. He is the only person in the world who made me laugh when I was sad.
A life changed forever
Losing a parent to cancer changes you forever. For Uma, the grief has meant both deep pain and a new way of looking at life.
I suddenly became an adult in a completely new way. Not legally, but an adult for real.
She describes how the experience has made her value life and the people around her on a deeper level.
– I live with a pain that will probably never go away, but where I have to work on acceptance. My dad was a very positive and warm person and I know he would want me to achieve my dreams and take care of myself.
The grief is still there, as is the longing and the feeling of injustice.
– I miss my dad incredibly much and can think that it is so unfair that things turned out the way they did. But instead, I try to accept that this is the "new" life. It doesn't have to mean that it is worse – but it is definitely different.
A symbol of the love that lives on
Through the membership bracelet, Uma doesn't just want to honor her dad. She also wants to inspire hope in other young people who have lost a parent.
– I want to spread the message that it is possible to live on after the loss of a parent, even if you really don't think it is possible.
She says that the time during her dad's illness and after his passing has been the hardest in her life.
– I felt extremely bad during the time Dad was sick and also after he passed away. I still do sometimes. But every day I learn new tools to deal with the grief, not to be afraid of my emotions and not to run away from them.
She is convinced that her dad would have been proud of her.
Dad said to me: "You must continue no matter what happens to me, Uma.
– This bracelet is my way of doing just that – to honor him and carry the love for him forward. You & me, Dad.
Uma's description of the design:
I chose to design my bracelet primarily with two strong colors. One was my dad's favorite color and also the color we had on the flowers at his funeral, which is orange. Pink is my favorite color. The orange color symbolizes the cancer Dad got (leukemia). The black bead in the middle symbolizes grief and loss. The two white beads symbolize the beautiful memories with Dad but also a new start and chapter in life. Dad was exactly as colorful as this bracelet.
