Dear Family,
This poem by Dr. Ruth Hitchcock expresses the condolences felt by staff here at the Children’s Hospital at Providence:
I can’t say anything that will make things better,
but I can be there with you and share your anger,
the pain, and the bewilderment.
Most of all, I can let you know that I care
and that I won’t abandon you.
Children's Hospital Bereavement Council
The Children's Hospital at Providence has an active Bereavement Council composed of parents, physician, nursing and support leaders. Together, we developed an integrated program supporting families who experience the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child in the hospital.
Each year the bereavement council hosts a Walk to Remember in August. It is an annual ceremony to honor those children who have died and their families. This year it will be held August 20, 2011 in the morning. We will gather at the Ambulatory Surgery desk near the Emergency Department beginning at 8:30 and will walk to University Lake at 10:00 a.m.
There will also be a ceremony at the Columbarium located at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wasilla this summer for families who have lost babies in utero before 20 weeks gestation. This will be a memorial service to remember miscarried, stillborn and ectopic pregnancy losses. This year the ceremony will be held on Wednesday October 5, 2011 at 3:00 p.m.
The loss of a pregnancy can be a life-changing time in the life of a woman and her loved ones. We would be honored to have you join us for this event, in hopes that it may be a time of healing. We also understand if this is something you choose not to do at this time. Know that you are always welcome to visit the Columbarium. The gate is locked, to prevent vandals, but you can contact Chaplain Susan Halvor or the spiritual care department for the code 907-212-2993.
In addition, we support community-led initiatives for support to families after discharge from the hospital. We actively support by recommending families use the services of:
• Parents Reaching Out, for losses during pregnancy and at birth
• Compassionate Friends, for losses of a child at any age
• C.L.I.M.B., for losses of one or more infants or children in a mutltiple birth
• The Forget-Me-Not Center, a program affiliated with Hospice of Anchorage to help children as survivors of a loved one.
We are also grateful to community groups who wish to support the Children's Hospital efforts by creating quilts, hand-stamped cards and folders, bereavement gowns, etc. Please contact Child Life or call 212-3014 if you are interested in supporting the Children's Hospital Bereavement Council with donations of time, talents, or other resources.
Additional Resources