Families Remember Children Who Died; Plan for Summer Conference in Boston
A national conference for families that have experienced the death of a child is being planned for Boston July 1-3. As many as 1500 are expected for the conference which is being held by The Compassionate Friends, the nation's largest self-help bereavement support organization. The conference includes a Professionals Day for those who help bereaved families, and the sixth "Walk to Remember."
Oak Brook, IL (PRWEB) April 28, 2005 -- As many as 1500 parents, siblings,
grandparents, and relatives, coping with the death of a child, are making plans
now to remember them and learn about the many faces of grief by attending the
28th national conference of The Compassionate Friends (TCF) July 1-3 in
Boston.
“The loss of a child is a devastating experience which happens to
thousands of families every year,” says TCF Executive Director and Conference
Chair Patricia Loder, a twice bereaved parent. “Our upcoming conference is
designed to provide a way for bereaved family members to connect with others who
are walking a similar path. This will be a nurturing atmosphere of acceptance,
validation, and understanding.”
The Compassionate Friends is the world’s
largest self-help bereavement support organization, with nearly 600 chapters in
the United States including all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. TCF
also has a national presence in an estimated 29 countries around the
world.
Keynote speakers at the conference include Grace Corrigan, mother
of “Teacher in Space” Christa McAuliffe who died in the 1986 Challenger
explosion, and Darcie Sims, internationally known grief educator and
author.
As well as a number of other activities, including a complete
sibling program, there will be more than 100 bereavement workshops covering an
extensive variety of topics related to the death of a child and the journey that
follows.
An annual highlight of the conference will be the sixth “Walk to
Remember,” Sunday, July 3 when more than a thousand attending the conference,
and from the surrounding area, will walk up to two miles carrying the names of
thousands of children who have died, but are not forgotten. Anyone who wishes to
have a child remembered during the Walk may submit the child’s name online at www.tcfwalktoremember.org and volunteers will carry those
names submitted on special memorial walk pages.
In conjunction with the
conference, a Professionals Day seminar will be held Thursday, June 30 for
nurses, physicians, social workers, counselors, emergency personnel, funeral
directors, law enforcement officers, clergy, educators, and all who care for
individuals or are interested in providing support for bereaved families after
the death of a child. Continuing Education Units will be available for many
professions. The public is invited to register.
For more information, or
to register for the conference, the Walk to Remember, or Professionals Day,
visit The Compassionate Friends national website at www.compassionatefriends.org or call the National Office
toll-free at 877-969-0010.
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb234402.htm