The Compassionate Friends Walk to Remember and National Conference

Losing a child has been called the worst loss.  Anyone who has lost a child would definitely agree with that. Losing a child defies the natural order of life.  It just shouldn't happen.  It is incomprehensible.  And yet thousands and thousands of bereaved parents face the world each day without their precious children.

The Compassionate Friends, an organization comprised of parents, grandparents and siblings, who have lost children, grandchildren and brothers and sisters, is holding its National Conference in Boston, July 5-7 at the Boston Sheraton Hotel, 39 Dalton Street, Boston.  More than 1600 family members are expected to attend. The conference will be a safe-haven for those going through the grieving process and they will be able to spend time with others who are walking the same path.

 Keynote speakers for the conference, the largest of its kind in the United States, are well known in the grief world:  Tina Cherry who, after the murder of her son Louis, created the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute with a mission to create and support an environment where families can live in peace and unity.  Ken Druck, bereaved parent and founder of the Jenna Druck Foundation, and one of the nation's pioneers in personal transformation including healing after loss;  Bill Hancock, director of college football's Bowl Championship Series and author of " Riding with the Blue Moth", and father of Will, who was killed in the 2001 crash of an airplane carrying members of the Oklahoma State University's men's basketball team;  Dr. Heidi Horsley, Dr. Gloria Horsley, founders of "Open to Hope" Foundation and Phil Horsley, Chair of TCF Foundation's Board of Trustees, a family united after the loss of son Scott.
  
In addition, there will be more than 100 workshops covering most aspects of grief after the loss of a child; sharing sessions; memory boards; reflection room; book store; and a remembrance candle lighting following the Saturday evening banquet, and much more.  The 14th annual Compassionate Friends Walk to Remember will start Sunday near the hotel at 8 a.m.

This year's conference theme is "Beacon of Love-Rays of Hope"  on site registration is available.  For more information and to find a chapter in your area, call 877-969-0010, or visit www.compassionatefriends.org.


The Compassionate Friends/USA has 600 chapters serving every state.  The Compassionate Friends is the world's largest self-help bereavement organization for families that have had a child die. Besides their personal stories, the group shares bereavement literature, a TCF magazine and newsletters that contain useful information on how to cope with such devastating loss.  Unlike other grief groups, TCF is lead by lay facilitators, is free of charge, and meets all over the world.