On September 29, 2000, thirty-two year old Maryanne Pope became a widow when her husband, Cst John Petropoulos of the Calgary Police Service, died from brain injuries sustained after falling through a false ceiling while investigating a break and enter complaint. There was no safety railing in place to warn him of the danger.

In honor of the eighth anniversary of John's death and the annual Police and Peace Officers' Memorial weekend, author Maryanne Pope will be launching her book, A Widow's Awakening. 20% of the proceeds from book sales will go to the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund, which raises public awareness about workplace safety for emergency services personnel.

"It is my hope that by sharing the details of my personal loss, I can inspire others to awaken to what's important in their own lives and the world around them," explains Pope, the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and board chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. "I had barely thought about workplace safety before John died. Now it has become an integral part of my life."

Told in the style of creative non-fiction, A Widow's Awakening is a powerful story of accepting loss, coping with grief and learning to move on. The book is a wittingly honest and inspiring account of awakening to oneself in the face of tragedy and unexpected circumstances.