Grief, Loss and Remembrance Program
Annual Remembrance Service 2020
Every year, Children's National Hospital honors all children who have died within the past two years. Due to COVID-19, we invited families to join us virtually this year. View messages from our leadership, a musical solo and the reading of children's names by our chaplaincy staff.
Our Chaplaincy Services staff recognizes that when a child dies, families need compassionate and skilled help in their journey through the grieving process. It is the mission of the Grief, Loss and Remembrance Program to provide the following:
Resources for Families
- Memory boxes
- Age-appropriate books for brothers and sisters to help them understand their sibling’s death
- Books and print materials for parents, grandparents and other family and friends
Outreach to Families
- Sympathy cards
- Bi-annual newsletter
- Seasonal mailings with information and memory-making activities
Remembrance Events
- Annual remembrance/memorial service for families who have lost a child
Counseling and Referrals
- One-on-one grief support and community referrals for individual counseling and support
Education and Support for Staff
- To ensure culturally and spiritually competent staff
- To provide one-on-one, as well as unit-based support during times of crisis and/or grief and loss
Loving Stories: A Support Group for Parents and Caregivers After the Death of a Child
This group of four to eight families will meet weekly for six sessions on Zoom. Participants will share stories about their child and explore ways to bring their memories and their relationship with their child into the present through group discussion, reflection and journaling activities.
To sign up or for more information, contact Helen Cymrot (202-476-4706) or Kathleen Ennis-Durstine (202-476-3321).