Irish teen who lost her mum wants bereavement services for all students

A young girl who lost her mum while undertaking the Leaving Cert wants free bereavement services for all students.

Rhona Butler had to sit her exams only hours after her mother had passed away. She wants changes to be made so that no other teen has to go through the same ordeal. Rhona was in the middle of her Leaving Cert examinations, having taken three exams when her mother passed away. The teenager was unable to put off her next exam and had to sit it while grieving for her recently departed mother. While speaking on the Ryan Tubridy show Ms Butler said;

"If I didn’t show up that was my problem, it wasn’t the school’s or the Department’s problem. The Department see us as exam numbers and they need to see that we’re people beyond that."

Rhona Butler's mother sadly passed away during her Leaving Cert exams, and yet she continued on with them until the end. Rhona told Ryan why she feels it is imperative that a bereavement process is available for those affected during the state exams https://t.co/B4DfRzUCCz pic.twitter.com/LlkQgBS9Dh

— Ryan Tubridy Show (@RyanTubridyShow) January 17, 2019

Rhona wants changes to be put into place so that students receive proper support during bereavement.

"There needs to be a bereavement process in place for people because I wasn’t the first and I won’t be the last."

Ms Butler said that she has written to several ministers but is yet to hear back.