Singer Katherine Jenkins has revealed an ‘amazing’ grief counsellor helped her deal with her father’s death when she was 15 years old.
She struggled to come to terms with the loss of her father Selwyn, 70, when he died from lung cancer just two months after he was diagnosed with the disease.
Katherine began counselling while she was going through her GCSE exams.
The mezzo-soprano said: "When I was 15 and getting over the death of my father, I saw an amazing grief counsellor who helped me process what had happened and helped me understand my feelings.
"I really don't think I would be this person today without that help."
Children's Grief Awareness Week
She spoke about her experience of counselling at the start of Children’s Grief Awareness Week 2018.
The 38-year-old mother-of-two is a patron of charity Grief Encounter and has recorded a new song with a choir of bereaved youngsters.
The track, Jealous of the Angels, features the Grief Encounter Children’s Choir which provides creative therapy to children aged between five and 11.
Katherine Jenkins has recorded a song with the Grief Encounter Children's Choir . Photo credit: Grief Encounter
Katherine has previously told The Big Issue about the grief she experienced when her father died.
She said: “He passed away very quickly.
“It was a few weeks before my GCSE exams. It was a really difficult, unexpected time. I don’t think anyone ever deals with it well, it’s a shock to lose a parent at any age. But at that time in my life it was really hard. I look back now and wonder how I managed to keep it all together.”
Children's Grief Awareness Week runs from 15 November until 21 November.
An online video for the song, which features on Katherine’s forthcoming album, has been released.