"Secret Sorrow: Grieving and Healing as a Non-Grandparent in a Grandparenting World"

Those who deeply desire to be grandparents, and don’t reach this life milestone, often carry sorrow they keep secret from others. When Mary Ellen Miller became one of these people, she discovered there is no word to describe them. So, she coined the term “non-grandparent.” Secret Sorrow: Grieving and healing as a non-grandparent in a grandparenting world honors non-grandparents. Expanding beyond her lived experience, stories from other non-grandparents are included that validate the hesitancy non-grandparents have discussing personal feelings. This book is groundbreaking. It is the first offering non-grandparents concrete ways of coping with their sorrow, including communication and self-care strategies.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at this event.

Dr. Mary Ellen Miller is a Registered Nurse who holds national board certification in Public Health Nursing. She has over thirty years’ experience as a nurse educator, retiring from DeSales University as a tenured Associate Professor. From 2008 to 2023, she directed an interprofessional internship for health professions students, the Lehigh Valley Affiliate of Bridging the Gaps. Dr. Miller has authored nursing textbook chapters and articles in peer reviewed professional journals. She co-authored several federal, state and local grant applications to support student initiatives. She continues to do presentations at national, regional and local professional conferences. Married to her best friend Drew for over four decades, they are enjoying their retirement years in the mountains of Pennsylvania. She enjoys gardening, golfing and time with her Boxer fur-baby, family and friends. Mary Ellen’s proudest accomplishment is raising two daughters, Ashley and Amanda, who are compassionate women, committed to social justice.