I’m Dee — a 40-something widow, trauma survivor, cat mum to ten rescue misfits, and the founder of the Mark Hewitson Foundation.

I didn’t choose any of this. Not the grief. Not the trauma. Not the fight to keep going when everything fell apart. I lost my husband Mark in 2019, and the years since have been filled with pain, CPTSD, therapy, healing, setbacks, and slow, quiet steps toward rebuilding a life I didn’t ask for.

This blog is where I put the things I couldn’t say out loud at the time.
It’s where I speak honestly about grief, trauma, stress, and the mental load no one sees.
It’s not self-help. It’s survival writing. And if you’ve ever felt broken or invisible — this is for you.

Some days, I’m doing okay. Some days, the smallest thing unravels me. Both are valid. Both are part of being human.

Through the Foundation, I now try to offer the kind of support I wish I’d had: fast, simple, non-judgemental help when you’re already overwhelmed.
This blog is a part of that. Because being seen, feeling understood — that matters too.

Thanks for being here. Really x

💛 Learn more about the Foundation
📩 Contact me directly: dee@markhewitsonfoundation.org