Celebrating International Women’s Day-Peguy Kato an amazing role model.

Peguy Kato is an incredible role model. She lost her son Champion to knife crime and has since then dedicated her life to stopping knife crime and supporting our youth.

Today she shares her thoughts with us in the Havering Daily.

Becoming a mother was a beautiful thing in my life and I imagine for many other mums too. But loosing this beautiful gift is a painful and sad thing many parents today in the UK suffer with, including myself.
Eight years ago, my son Champion died, he was 17 years old. It was extremely brutal.
When I realised that it was true and that my eldest son had indeed been stabbed to death, then our world came crashing down. From there, we live with a dread and sense of heartbreak over our heads. Every morning, when you wake up, you receive a stab wound that reminds you that your child is dead. And you wonder if you’re going to make it to the end of the day.

Like many mothers who have lost their child, I felt I would never recover. The loss of a child changes a parent forever.

When a child dies, the mother feels almost physically amputated from a part of themselves and all the projections they had invested in them. And often, too, a great guilt: that of not having been able to protect their child.

But today through my son Champion , I have learnt to appreciate every single moment spent with my children. Champion changed my life forever from a weak to a strong woman . Today I’m supporting others and sharing Champion’s story to change many youths.I want to encourage all the strong women not to abandon their dreams and even if you have lost your child, remember love never dies and your son’s life and memories can still be celebrated through you as you live .

Champion you are no longer where you were, but you are everywhere I am.