Monday, May 21, 2012
Unsung Hero: Remembering Lost Children
CARBONDALE -- In the lobby of Memorial Hospital of Carbondale stands a Christmas tree filled with emotion. Each ornament represents a child who is missed this holiday season.
Angie Bowen oversees the "I Lost a Child" program. It allows parents to meet on a weekly basis. "They are able to bond with each other, understand, and offer that support to each other," says Angie. Volunteers assist a number of parents who've lost a child before birth- or years later. Sandra Hanshaw has spent more than a decade with the group- and says it's been important for helping parents cope. "They need to know- they're not the only ones who've walked this path," Sandra says. Hospital Chaplain Stephen Pyle says anyone coping with a loss this holiday season can benefit from someone's sensitivity. "Be with them. Listen to them," says Chaplain Pyle. "Leave the cliches aside, and just let them say what they need to say, and say it as many times as they need to say it." Meanwhile- placing names and messages on the memorial tree is a Christmas tradition families take comfort in. Just like the volunteers and fellow parents providing support through the I Lost a Child program. "Mothers who find the need to support someone else- or family to help them get through their grief- they're the heroes that they need. They're kind of behind the scenes, nobody ever sees them- but the person that has approached them- they're an angel," says Sandra. The "I Lost a Child" group meets Tuesdays at 6:30 at Christian Covenant Fellowship Church in Carterville. |
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