It is now just over three years since Canberra beauty therapist Jamie-Leigh Lynch died in a car accident, but for her parents Sheila and Mark it sometimes feels "like three minutes".
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"After the initial shock and everything, one learns to live with it, because you have to," Ms Lynch said. "But on the other hand, you look at a picture, and then you give it another look because you can't really believe it really happened. For just a fraction of a second.
"It makes you realise how fragile life can be. It truly makes you appreciate things a lot more, and it has the opposite effect as well. You have less tolerance for some things and a huge amount more for others."
The Gordon couple have endeavoured to put their energy into projects that honour their daughter, who was 26 when she died, and her love of animals.
Chief among them has been the Million Paws Walk for the RSPCA, which again starts from Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park on Sunday, May 15.
Their entry is called Team Jim Jam, after one of their many affectionate nicknames for Jamie-Leigh, and it has routinely raised the most money of any team throughout Australia.
In 2013, just two months after Jamie-Leigh's death, Team Jim Jam had the honour of being the biggest single fundraiser in the then-21-year history of the event, raising $15,000, or more than a third of the ACT tally of $42,150.
Team Jim Jam was again the highest team fundraiser in 2014 and 2015.
They are on track to take out biggest team fundraiser in Australia again this year, sitting on more than $8000 in donations.
"We've always been dedicated to the care of animals," Ms Lynch said. "We would have never invented Team Jim Jam had it not been for Jamie, so it's all about Jamie.
"It's another way of honouring her and we try to draw people together in that respect. We honour her in that public way. We do lots of other things as well."
Mr Lynch said almost $60,000 had been donated to the RSPCA ACT through the efforts of Team Jim Jam and another fundraising venture, the Footprints Forever Foundation, which they established in Jamie-Leigh's name.
Jamie-Leigh's dog Freddy, now about 17 years old, has only three legs, but has made the Million Paws Walk previously.
Due to his age, this year is likely to be Freddy's last Million Paws Walk, as he does his final lap around Lake Burley Griffin.
"This year he will be fully in the pram," Ms Lynch said.
Ms Lynch has also become vice-president of the ACT chapter of Compassionate Friends, a support group for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents trying to cope with the death of a child.
"I had a real need to reach out and speak to another parent who knew what it was like to lose a child," she said.
"I have a real passion for it. You see the sadness in the eyes of these people and you think, 'If there's anything I can do …' It's become my mission really. I feel so much for parents who have lost a child because no words can explain it, but you look for kindness and understand, even in very small doses, everywhere.
"It never goes. Your life changes from the moment your child dies."
The Million Paws Walk starts at 11am on Sunday, May 15, from Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park for the bridge-to-bridge walk around Lake Burley Griffin. Pre-walk activities start from 9am. Go to http://www.millionpawswalk.com.au/ACT.htm to register or donate. More details about Compassionate Friends are at thecompassionatefriends.org.au.
