Overnight Grief Camp Helps Children Cope with Death
Cedar Rapids – Children cope with illness and loss differently than adults. St. Luke’s Hospice is offering its second annual free, overnight grief camp for children and teens that have experienced the death of a loved one.
Camp Embracing Memories is the only camp of its kind in Eastern Iowa and is designed to help children ages seven to 16 effectively cope with death in a safe, accepting environment. Activities during the camp will focus on the grieving process while allowing interaction with other children who have experienced similar losses.
“The camp is designed to normalize children’s feelings of loss so they know they are not alone,” said Stephanie Anderson, St. Luke’s Palliative Care and Hospice director. “Trained Hospice staff and volunteers provide education and support to enhance coping skills and abilities, while still enabling campers to feel connected to the loved one who died. Fun activities will also be used to help children cope, such as making memory bracelets and memory pillows, listening to guest speakers and enjoying outdoor activities.”
In its second year, St. Luke’s Hospice is pleased to announce a new corporate partner – Cedar Memorial. Cedar Memorial generously donated $10,000 to help fund Camp Embracing Memories in 2010 and ensure the camp can be offered free of charge to all attendees.
“We are proud to be a corporate partner and help make Camp Embracing Memories possible,” said John Linge, Cedar Memorial president and CEO. “Camps such as this are important for children and families who need grief support. In addition, further success of Camp Embracing Memories can help educate our community about the importance of grief support for the whole family.”
The overnight camp will begin at 10 a.m., Saturday, September 11, 2010 and end Sunday, September 12, 2010 at 1 p.m. Camp Embracing Memories will be held at YMCA Camp Wapsie, located in Coggon. Lodging and meals are included.
Registration
The camp is open to children ages seven to 16 that have experienced the death of a loved one, regardless of whether families have experienced hospice care or not. Registration is required, and the number of registrations is limited in order to provide adequate bereavement support in a safe environment.
To request a registration form or to learn more, call St. Luke’s Hospice at 319/369-7744 and ask to speak with a social worker. Or visit stlukescr.org/hospice, click on the “Bereavement” link on the left side of the screen to learn more.
