Personally, the thought of losing a child is the most horrific thing I could imagine happening in my life.
It's a fear many parents experience at one time or another but probably never believe will happen.
It was extremely sad to hear the names of those who died in the Christchurch earthquake read out at the memorial service and even sadder to hear the stories of children who had lost their mother or father and parents who had lost their son or daughter. Nothing could have prevented an act of nature, yet this week we read about the deaths of young people that may have been prevented had the laws been different.
A local couple Brian and Lynette Brown recalled how their daughter Natasha Hayden, 24, was murdered in 2005 at McLaren Falls. Her murderer, already a violent offender, was released on bail pending trial and in that time murdered a beautiful 2-year-old girl called Aaliyah Morrissey.
Yet despite their pain, these parents along with many others like the parents of Augustine Borrell, Liberty Templeman and Vanessa Anne Pickering - all young people murdered - have fought for change and now lend their support to a new campaign dubbed Christie's Law.
Christie Marceau died in her mother's arms after a violent attack.
The man charged with her murder, 19-year-old Akshay Anand Chand, was on bail at the time and facing charges of kidnapping Christie just two months before her death.
The Marceaus want changes to bail laws, and a clear message sent to judges tasked with making the decision on who is and isn't suitable for bail.
They believe if the bail laws had been tighter last year, Christie would still be alive.
Mrs Marceau believes a law change would save lives.
It would also give victims of violent crime more protection and peace of mind.
"I want people to think that they're going to be safe. I also want everybody who has a child in New Zealand to hug that child ... and just be thankful that they've still got them," Mrs Marceau said.
"Because I tell you what: It's so hard to sit there and think that I will never ever see her again. All I've got is photos and videos."
The family and the trust are recommending that judges be subjected to annual performance reviews and the right of serious offenders to apply for bail be removed under Christie's Law.
The trust is also proposing that police have the ability to veto a judge's decision to grant bail.
How these families find the strength to fight to change the system is beyond me, but all of us should be thankful that they do.
Who knows how many families will be saved from this horrifying experience because these good people fight for change?
Many families have endured what the Marceaus are going through but it would seem that this is the tipping point ... hence Christie's Law.
It always appears that in any court case the victim and their families get less support than the offender and at the end of the day, even locked up in jail, we know that for murderers in New Zealand life doesn't mean life.
A prisoner gets fed and watered but most of all, still gets to see their loved ones, something they took away forever from the good people above.
Christie's Law will be launched at 11.30am on Monday at the High Court in Auckland.
