CCMH, Hospice Host Lifetimes Retreat

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital and Potter County Hospice hosted a retreat at the Patterson Cancer Care Center for children who have dealt with grief due to death, divorce or other loss.

The second annual Lifetimes Retreat featured activities for the children as a means to express their feelings and work through the grieving process. Children played a spider web game, made age-appropriate bereavement packets, wrote letters to loved ones and “sent them to heaven” via helium balloons, and drew pictures of what makes them sad and “erased their sadness” with water balloons.

“Hospice decided to start Lifetimes Retreat because kids grieve too but they grieve differently than adults,” said Bonnie Kratzer, director, home health and hospice. “Through the retreat we give the kids an avenue to allow grieving and talking with other kids going through the same losses. We hope that kids feel that it’s OK to grieve for their loved ones and know that others have the same feelings that they have.”

Pictured, Lifetimes Retreat participants release balloons with notes attached to their loved ones at the Patterson Cancer Care Center.
Photo courtesy of CCMH