Josie Grove's legacy lives on

Sep 21 2009 by Sophie Doughty, The Journal

SHE may be gone but her legacy continues to live on. Two-and-a-half years after inspirational Josie Grove lost her battle against leukaemia the teenager continues to help youngsters going through the same awful ordeal as she did.

Since her death in February 2007, Josie’s parents Cliff and Jacqui have worked tirelessly to keep her memory alive and raise money to help other terminally ill youngsters.

And now the Groves have produced a book of an ancient fable which helped their daughter come to terms with her approaching death, to help other children going through the same ordeal.

The beautifully illustrated book will be handed out free on children’s cancer wards and at hospices.

The Dragonfly Tale tells the story of a family of water bugs living in a pond.

One by one the bugs climb up a lily stem out of the pond and turn into beautiful dragonflies.

As dragonflies they are happier than they have ever been before. But they are unable to return to the pond where all their family are.

Yet, the dragonflies soon realise that they can watch over their water bug family until they are ready to become dragonflies too and join them.

“A Dragonfly Tale was written to help children come to terms with loss. And it is beautifully illustrated by Elinor Geller,” said Jacqui, 47.

“It is difficult for anyone to understand death. To explain it to your children when one of them is about to take that journey is a tough call. The fable about dragonflies helped us all, not least Josie.”