The Lean on Me Network Is Officially Launched: Here's Where We're Headed

After months of dreaming, planning, and pushing through all the nerves that come with starting something this personal—I’ve finally launched the Lean on Me Network Association.

This moment feels both massive and humbling.

From here on, I’ll be reaching out to funeral homes, administrative departments, care providers, and the general public to share our mission and build a community around it. My hope? To inspire others to get involved, to donate, and to help us build a grief support system worthy of the people who need it most.

We’re setting out to do something big. With the help of our future donors and sponsorship partners, we’ll begin putting our mission into action. That includes:

• Training new grief care specialists to serve in communities that don’t currently have access.

• Paying for therapy and grief care for those who would otherwise go without—especially in vulnerable populations.

• Educating the public about what grief really is, and why it’s something we must face together—not alone.

Education is so important. Because I see it every day—people walking around with grief they don’t know how to name, let alone express. Grief in all its forms: the loss of a loved one, the loss of identity, the loss of a way of life. It shows up in everyday conversations, in quiet moments, in tired eyes. And every time I share what I’m doing with Lean on Me, every single person nods in agreement. They say, “Yes, this is important.” They say, “We need this.”

Because we all know grief. We all carry it. But so few of us know how to talk about it.

There are so many myths surrounding grief that we need to dismantle—starting with the idea that time alone heals all wounds. The truth is, grief doesn’t just fade away because days or months or years go by. Grief needs attention. It needs care. It needs space.

Another common misconception? That grief is something we should carry privately—that it’s somehow more “respectful” or “dignified” to suffer in silence. But isolation only deepens the pain. It keeps people stuck. What we need is community. Support. Permission to grieve out loud and in the open.

And here’s something I want everyone to hear clearly: It is absolutely possible to heal from the pain of grief.

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It doesn’t mean moving on or letting go of someone or something. In fact, when we allow ourselves to release the pain, what remains is something even more powerful: love.

When you remove the pain from grief, all that’s left is love, freedom, and peace. And when we let go of the belief that we must hurt in order to honour someone, we make space for something beautiful—we give our love the room it needs to breathe, to remember, to fully celebrate the life of the person we lost or the parts of our lives we no longer have.

That’s the kind of healing I want to make possible for everyone.

I’m excited—but I’ll be honest, I’m also nervous. This is the first time I’ve shared my passion and long-term goals this publicly. It’s vulnerable to say: “Here’s what I believe in. Here’s what I want to change. Will you help me do it?”

But I’m choosing to meet both the victories and the failures with resilience, openness, and enthusiasm. I know this won’t be easy. I also know it will be worth it.

To everyone who has offered a kind word, a connection, or even just an ear to listen—thank you. And to those of you just finding us now: I invite you to follow along, get involved, and be part of something that truly matters.

Together, we can build a stronger, more compassionate Alberta.

Because no one should have to walk through grief alone.

Yours,

Jes Knoop Founder