Linda's Story
Linda Buchanan's son Corporal Tam Mason, 27, was seriously injured in an IED explosion in Afghanistan last September. Tam, who served with 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the Black Watch, was flown back to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham and his family rushed to be with him. Despite the severity of his injuries doctors were initially optimistic he would recover, however Tam's condition deteriorated over the course of several weeks and he lost his fight for life on October 25th, 2009.
Linda said: "If I had had SSAFA to go to when I was first at Selly Oak I'm sure I would have coped with it a lot better. As it was I just felt so alone. Your family have their own grief and they don't need to carry yours as well.
"The support group has definitely helped - I would have been lost without it. There is a network of families that are in my area and it really is very helpful.
"It can be a very lonely process but I've found that helping someone else to come to terms with their grief can also help you."