Walk to Remember’ to Unite Families Living with Death of a Child
Memorial Day is appropriate as a time to remember all children who have died. The Compassionate Friends self-help bereavement organization is planning its sixth annual "Walk to Remember." This will be held in conjunction with the organization's 28th national conference in Boston. The organization has nearly 600 chapters in the United States with locations in all 50 states.
(PRWEB) May 25, 2005 -- Memorial Day is an appropriate time to remember those
children who are mourned, but never forgotten by their families, says Patricia
Loder, Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends. “Whether the child who
died was an adult, teen, youngster, or died at or before birth, millions of
families in the United States carry the pain that comes with the death of future
dreams.”
The Compassionate Friends (TCF) self-help bereavement support
organization, with nearly 600 chapters in the United States, plans to remember
these children during its annual ‘Walk to Remember,’ this year being held in
Boston, Sunday, July 3, the final day of the 28th annual Compassionate Friends
National Conference July 1-3.
“This walk is very symbolic because, while
our children cannot be physically with us, they will always walk with us in our
hearts,” says Mrs. Loder, who is a twice bereaved parent and a bereaved
sibling.
The “Walk to Remember” is expected to draw up to 1400 persons
including those present for the conference, as well as many from Boston and
surrounding areas who are coming just to participate in the two-mile
event.
“This is our sixth ‘Walk to Remember’ and we are constantly amazed
at how many people participate in some way,” observes Mrs. Loder. “Even those
who are not able to come to Boston can provide us the names of their children
and volunteers will carry them during the Walk.”
Last year the names of
an estimated 8,000 children who had died were carried during the Walk. This
year’s figure is expected to top 10,000. Those who wish to have a child’s name
carried during the Walk may do so by visiting The Compassionate Friends Walk to
Remember website at www.tcfwalktoremember.org and clicking on the top
link.
Every year 1,000 to 1,500 persons attend The Compassionate Friends
national conference, which this year features more than 100 workshops for
parents and siblings. Among keynote speakers will be Grace Corrigan, mother of
Christa McAuliffe, “Teacher in Space” who died in the 1986 space shuttle
Challenger disaster. Darcie Sims, popular grief author, speaker, and educator
will also keynote.
A pre-conference Professionals Day will be held
Thursday, June 30 for nurses, physicians, social workers, counselors, emergency
personnel, funeral directors, police officers, clergy, and all professionals who
care for individuals at the scene, at the hospital, during the funeral process,
and provide support for bereaved families after the death of a child. CEUs will
be available.
Anyone interested in learning more about the conference, or
locating a local TCF chapter, may log onto The Compassionate Friends national
website at www.compassionatefriends.org or call the National Office
toll-free at 877-969-0010.
The Compassionate Friends/USA has chapters in
every state, plus Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the Cayman Islands. Worldwide,
TCF has a national presence in an estimated 29 countries.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb244496.htm