About this Event
For Bereaved Parents, Adult Siblings & Those Who Support Them
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn Ajax
ONE TICKET ADMITS TWO.
Come with your partner. Your sibling. Your best friend. Another bereaved parent. The person who has walked beside you through your grief.
You do not have to come alone.
The Vilomah Conference is a first-of-its-kind gathering in the Greater Toronto Area created specifically around the experience of losing a child — and the people who live with, love and support those carrying that loss.
This is not a day of sitting in a room being told how to grieve.
It is a day to talk about the things we do not talk about enough.
The body after loss. Parenting after loss. Faith. Purpose. Relationships. The grieving brain. Physical health. Self-care. Alternative and holistic approaches to healing. What happens when grief follows you into the rest of your life.
Some sessions will teach. Some will challenge you. Some will simply give you room to breathe.
And throughout the day, you choose what you need.
Your Day. Your Way.
The Vilomah Conference brings together lived experience, professional knowledge, practical tools and different approaches to grief under one roof.
You'll be able to move between main-stage conversations, workshops and breakout sessions, choosing the topics that speak most to where you are.
Our speakers and facilitators bring perspectives from grief, mental and physical health, parenting, faith, purpose, creativity, holistic wellness and lived experience.
You do not have to connect with every approach.
That's the point.
Grief is personal. Your conference experience can be too.
More Than Speakers & Workshops
We also know that sometimes you need a break from talking about grief.
Throughout the day, attendees will have access to dedicated spaces designed for exactly that.
The Wellness Room will offer opportunities for gentle, holistic support and restorative experiences.
The Quiet Room will be available when you need to step away, decompress, sit quietly or simply have a moment to yourself.
There will also be space to connect with other bereaved parents, supporters, organizations and resources without pressure to participate in everything.
Take what you need. Skip what you don't.
What Your Ticket Includes
One ticket admits TWO people and includes the full conference experience for both attendees:
• Light breakfast and lunch
• Main-stage speakers and conversations
• Your choice of workshops and breakout sessions
• Holistic wellness supports
• Dedicated Wellness Room
• Quiet and reflection space
• Parent care package
• Practical tools and grief resources
• Support and community referrals
• Connection with people who understand that grief does not follow a timeline
Who Is This For?
The Vilomah Conference is for bereaved parents who have experienced the death of a child at any age and from any cause.
Whether your loss happened recently or many years ago, you are welcome.
We also welcome bereaved adult siblings, partners, family members, friends, grief and helping professionals, advocates, and those who want to better understand how to support someone after the death of a child.
You do not need to belong to a support group.
You do not need to be at a particular place in your grief.
And you certainly do not need to have it all figured out.
Come With Someone
We made the decision to have one ticket admit two people intentionally.
Because walking into a grief conference for the first time can feel like a lot.
Bring someone who gets it.
Bring someone who wants to understand.
Bring another parent who needs this too.
Or come on your own. There will be community waiting for you here.
Event Details
Saturday, October 24, 2026
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax
500 Beck Crescent
Ajax, Ontario L1Z 1C9
Travelling from outside the GTA? Attendees can arrange discounted accommodation through the Hilton Garden Inn for the conference.
This Is About Life After Loss
We are not gathering because we have found the perfect way to grieve.
We're gathering because there isn't one.
We're creating a place where grief can be talked about honestly, where different approaches can exist in the same room, where lived experience matters, and where nobody has to explain why their child still matters.
October 24. One room. Many experiences. A community that understands.
ONE TICKET. TWO PEOPLE.
Reserve your place at the Vilomah Conference.
About Normalizing Grief
Normalizing Grief is a people-centered initiative working to increase grief literacy, reduce stigma and create spaces where grief can exist without apology.
Through education, conversation, advocacy, resources and community support, we are helping make conversations about grief a normal part of life — because grief is a natural part of life.
No one should have to navigate it alone.
Instagram: @normalizing_grief
Facebook: Normalizing Grief
Email: [email protected]
Event venue & nearby stays
Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax, 500 Beck Crescent, Ajax, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.