After Amanda Anderson lost her spouse Corporal Jordan Anderson while he was serving in Afghanistan, she experienced first-hand the gaps in information and policy on Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) survivor benefits and services, and identified a need for benefit navigation as well as for compassionate peer support. For over thirteen years, Amanda has supported others who have lost loved ones in military service. Amanda is a dedicated leader of the Survivors Group, through which she guides grieving family members along the bureaucratic processes that follow such tragic losses. Amanda advocates for survivors’ access to information from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and VAC and is instrumental in supporting the CAF survivors’ community.
Transcript
Amanda is basically an unsung hero, helping widows and Veterans and families to offer guidance and support.
A lot of her support to me has been through information. I didn't know certain terms. I don't know the acronyms; I don't know what forms I need. Her group is a safe place where widows can go and get information and get support and get help and get a big hug. And sort of having a hero, like an advocate going “This is what you do next. I know it's overwhelming, but please keep going and we're here to support you.”
She knows a lot of other people who've maybe gone through the same thing and processes that they did. It helps the community and helps all of us when we're able to talk to each other. A lot of the times she just checks in on us too and says “Are you okay? How are you feeling about this? Are you okay? Is everything overwhelming? What can I do to help?”
A lot of it's about resources, but a lot of it is sort of somebody else saying that it's okay to have feelings about this. And sometimes that's all you need.
Amanda, I can't thank you enough for everything you do for all of us. You're a light in this world. And please don't ever stop.