More than 25 years after Ruth died, I decided to see what articles and studies had been published on the effects of childhood illness and death on siblings. I headed to the Weiner Library at Fairleigh Dickinson University, located in Teaneck where I lived. I knew the task would be emotional.
When I passed through the library doors, I felt an immediate sense of purpose. I found the reference librarian. “I’m looking for articles or studies that have been done on the effect of serious childhood illness and death on healthy siblings,” I blurted out. She told me to check out the indexes for Psychological Abstacts.
I spent several hours going through them and jotting down articles of interest. I had to make a second trip to get copies of what I wanted to read. Literature on sibling illness and death were sparse, but what there was validated my own feelings. Continue reading Research on How Childhood Illness and Death Affect Siblings
On Sunday, March 19, 1989, The Record — Bergen County, New Jersey’s daily newspaper — published the feature “When a Young Sibling Dies” on the front page of its Home section. The story included a large color photo of me holding childhood snapshots, details of the anger and pain I’d suffered after her death, and resources for bereaved siblings locally and nationally. It was the first time I’d “gone public” about my loss and its ramifications.
When I was growing up, I worried about Ruth much of the time. Because she had practically no kidney function, she suffered frequent health crises and had to be rushed to the hospital. I never shared my concerns with family and friends.