Real Talk
Shamaine Buencamino Celebrates Her Late Daughter’s Birthday
How does a parent honor a child they lost to suicide? Shamaine Buencamino shares her story.
Losing a child is never easy. It’s even harder when you lose a child to suicide. Actress Shamaine Buencamino posted a heartwarming birthday message regarding her late daughter, Julia. “23 years ago today, I gave birth to this girl,” she writes. “My fourth child who decided to come out during a Christmas gathering, which was a good thing because we were in Manila then (we were living in Los Baños).”
To post again about her child that she lost to suicide takes incredible strength. But she mentions how she is able to. “Yes, time heals.”
The late actress, Julia Buencamino, died on July 7, 2015. She was 15 years old.
Losing a Child to Suicide
Many parents expect to pass away before their children. But when the opposite occurs, no words can describe how mixed the feelings are. From apathy, numbness, regret, and guilt, the wide range of emotions makes it difficult for any parent to experience joy or pleasure. And as a mother of three, when does Shamaine find the time to grieve for her youngest while the others still need her?
However, for the last eight years, Shamaine found a way to make sure her daughter’s memory lived on. Using her power as an actress, she started the Julia Buencamino Bench Project — a bench decorated with Julia’s artworks to signify a safe space. It was with much hope that the benches would serve as a safe space for many kids around Julia’s age.
Source: Shamaine Buencamino IG
Soon, Shamaine began her artistic journey as well, posting many of her outputs from her Art Journaling on Instagram.
Celebrating the Daughter Who Lived
Sometimes, the best way to heal is to remember how they lived. Shamaine adds in the post, “I ordered a big pan of lasagna today” — adding that lasagna was one of Julia’s favorite dishes — “Today, I don’t think of her birthday with sadness but with joy and thanksgiving. Thank you for giving us a reason to feast on one of your favorite dishes today.”
Source: The Julia Buencamino Project
Today, Julia continues to be a part of Shamaine’s life with The Julia Buencamino Project. It’s a project that finds healing and emotions in art and also pushes for better solutions for mental health.
More about mental health:
Debunking 5 Myths about Suicide and How to Stop It
Why We’re Proud That Sunshine Dizon Opened Up About Her Mental Health Issues
Mental Health Begins Within the Family
