This doesn’t exactly fit our bucket-list-story mold, but we couldn’t help but share it. As we’ve said before, most of our bucket-list wishes come to us in response to the question, “What’s most important to you today?” We didn’t ask that question of these teenagers, but still they told us how important it was to them to help other kids through a loss. After all, who better than a teenager who’s been through it herself?
Have you ever tried to buy a sympathy card for a child or teenager who’s lost a loved one? It’s very hard to find something that fits.
Handmade sympathy card made by teen who has lost a loved one.
Our bereavement coordinator, Nora Brashear, LCSW, recently went in search of such cards. When she came back empty-handed, she decided to go to the experts.
Luckily, we have access to some brilliant teens who’ve been through it and know first-hand what works. Nora asked two of them what they found most helpful, and they agreed that the homemade cards they received from other kids were the ones that most lightened the load.
Two of these teenagers talked with Nora about making cards for our hospice to use with children. One is a 13-year-old who lost a parent suddenly a few years ago. Another is a 17-year-old who recently lost a sibling. Both of them have received grief counseling through our Bereavement Outreach program, and both were delighted to put their arts-and-crafts skills to work for other kids who are grieving.
Handmade sympathy card made by teen who wants to help another through loss.
Nora used grant funds to purchase the card-making supplies, gave them to the two teens, and they went to work. These photos are of the first set of cards they’ve completed. We thought they did an outstanding job!
Nora and the rest of our bereavement staff will use the cards with the children of our hospice patients, and also with children in the community who come to us for grief and loss support.
We’re so happy to have these cards on-hand, but we’re even happier that two special teens used their own losses to help make another child’s loss a bit easier.
Handmade sympathy card made by teen who has lost loved ones.
Hospice Care Plus empowers those we serve to enjoy the highest quality of life, respecting their values, beliefs, needs, and goals through specialized care, education, resources, and grief support.
Our Service Area:
Our Home Hospice and Home Palliative Care programs serve you, wherever you call home, in the Kentucky counties of Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle.
Our inpatient care facility, the Compassionate Care Center, and administrative offices are located in Richmond, Kentucky.
Recent News:
Grief and Loss During Holidays and Milestones
Compassionate Care Center Updates Completed
News & Events
To Celebrate My Birthday
John Shelton may have come to Hospice Care Plus with advanced heart disease, but, to us, his heart was perfect. He loved life. He loved his wife. He even loved his hospice care team. He also loved celebrating his birthday. “As soon as one birthday passed, he would start reminding you that he had another…
To Salute My Grandson & Be Baptized
When we shared the story of Mr. Ramirez’s very special wish on our Facebook page, it reached nearly 400,000 people. Later, we made this simple video to use as part of our 2016 Bucket-List Challenge. Special thanks to his family, and especially his granddaughter, Blue, for sharing their memories and photos with us, and with you.
Visit the Bucket-List Blog
We love sharing our bucket-list stories, and there are so many of them that we’ve given them their own home: The Hospice Care Plus Bucket-List Blog. Visit today and read inspiring stories about bucket-list wishes like: Meeting Blake Shelton in Person (It Happened!) Visiting a Favorite Fishing Hole One More Time Marrying the Love of…
