Newsletter Stories
Waves of Grief: A Reflection on Life, Loss, Healing & Hope
I will never forget sitting on an airplane in my early twenties, reading my newly discovered copy of Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet. His words bold in my memory, “Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes...
Finding Hope One Step at a Time
Meet Tyrell, a brave 13-year-old boy who had to face the unthinkable - the death of his beloved mother after she underwent a kidney transplant and fell ill. With his life suddenly uprooted, Tyrell found himself shuttling between his aunt's and grandmother's homes, struggling to cope with his overwhelming grief. In the wake of this devastating loss, Tyrell and his family found solace in...
Leading the Way: Chris Wells
Every organization has dedicated leaders, but Chris Wells takes it to a whole new level. Chris has been leading grief groups at Shannon's Hope Camp for nearly 30 years! "By giving young people the space to be sad, have fun, make friends, and be in the healing wonder of nature, we not only help them learn important lessons, we learn some, too."
Making a Difference: Marlena Hamm
Every camp has a huge impact on the children. The way they come to camp shy and quiet, to then mostly being able to share their story is remarkable. The impact the candlelight ceremony has leaves an imprint on my heart each time. If I had to pick one moment that I felt I personally made the biggest difference, it was sitting outside the cabin in the middle of the night with a little girl who couldn’t sleep - her mom had died of drug overdose. My stepdad is an addict, and overdosed many times. So while I couldn't fully understand how she felt, I could relate to a lot of what she felt and even understood why she felt a sense of relief that it was all over. After listening to her for quite awhile, she was able to go back to bed and get a good night’s sleep...
A Fall Full of Hope
As the seasons change, so can our grief. So, we've designed a fall full of activities to empower you & your family to connect & grow. Mark your calendars and plan to join us this season! And as the newest member of the Bridges of Hope, I look forward to meeting you soon.
September...
Standing in the Gap: A Legacy of Compassionate Care
Standing in the gap is a great way to describe most of what was done here at the Hospice Cottage. As clinical professionals, you stood in the gap between pain and comfort. As behind-the-scenes support staff, you stood in the gap between frustration and peace of mind. As volunteers, you stood in the gap between loneliness and comfort. As a donor, you stood in the gap between a stressful ICU and a peaceful home-like cottage for care. As an artist, you stood in the gap between a sterile setting and a place of beauty. Regardless of your role, you stood in the gaps between isolation & community, shock & acceptance, hopelessness & meaning...
Gearing Up for Grief Support
The last 18+ months have been so full of change and loss – loss of normalcy, loss of peace of mind, loss of connection from those we love. And perhaps you’ve heard the warnings that the next wave will be one of grief as we begin to process more fully all that...