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Christmas brings joy, but it can be a tender time for those who are grieving. We chat to award-winning author Carolyn Mayling
The sparkle of the season, though beautiful, can also cast long shadows, highlighting the absence of somebody who is deeply missed. Carolyn Mayling understands this delicate balance between sorrow and light. Her life’s work has become a source of comfort and connection for those dealing with loss.
Carolyn is the founder and chair of trustees of Rosie’s Rainbow Fund, a local charity inspired by her daughter Rosie, who passed away at the age of 11 from vasculitis, a rare auto-immune disease. The loss was devastating, and Carolyn speaks openly about the fear, loneliness and exhaustion that comes with long hospital stays, and the quiet, aching aftermath that follows.
But instead of turning inward, Carolyn has poured her love for Rosie into something that now touches thousands of lives. Since 2004, Rosie’s Rainbow Fund has supported families with seriously ill children, providing hospital music therapy, bereavement care and practical help when it’s needed most.
Carolyn leads the charity, organising large-scale fundraisers, delivering talks across the UK and recently received the 2025 Beryl Bainbridge Award for her moving memoir The Future is Rosie. Her story doesn’t offer platitudes, but speaks to the real, transformative power of love and remembrance.
As well as Rosie’s sister Ellie, Carolyn is also a proud mother to her son Dominic, who was born when Carolyn was 54 after a gruelling but worthwhile IVF journey. Now 16 he’s an elite golfer headed to the US. Carolyn continues to inspire young people through her role as co-director of Redroofs School for the Performing Arts, where she draws on her background in teaching to nurture talent and self-belief in children and teens.
For those navigating loss – especially the loss of a child – Carolyn’s journey offers both comfort and courage. She doesn’t shy away from the reality of grief, but gently shows how it can become a bridge to others, a way to honour someone gone too soon through acts of care, kindness and meaning. Her presence is a quiet reminder that love endures. That even in grief, something new and beautiful can emerge.
Rosie’s Rainbow Fund continues to provide vital services in hospitals across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, offering music therapy, sibling support, emergency financial assistance and more. It is a living legacy – built not just in Rosie’s name, but in her spirit.
Find out more or support the charity at rosiesrainbowfund.co.uk. The Future is Rosie is published by Alliance Publishing Press and available to order from all good booksellers
& Amazon, or via carolynmayling.com
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