Hospice of Wake County Celebrates Life By Supporting Young People Throughout The Grieving Process

Top Quote The 10th anniversary of Big Bad Ball is being held on Saturday, October 1 from 7p.m.-1a.m. at Raleigh's Capital City Club. Horizons Greif Center is also a part of Hospice of Wake County which is being celebrated as well. End Quote
  • Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (1888PressRelease) September 09, 2011 - Everyone deals with serious illness and loss of a loved one differently, but perhaps no one more so than a young person.

    "Grieving children experience many of the same thoughts and feelings as grieving adults" said Molly
    Flynn, a Child and Teen Grief Counselor at Hospice of Wake County. "However, children's grief may look very different than adult grief, due to their developmental levels. Children often grieve off-and-on , in short but intense episodes, and often show their grief through play and behaviors rather than words."

    This year's 10th anniversary Big Bad Ball supports the compassionate services of Hospice of Wake County, which includes Horizons Grief Center. The 2011 fundraiser gala will be held Saturday, October 1 from 7p.m. - 1a.m. at Raleigh's Capital City Club.

    In addition to family-centered grief counseling and workshops, Hospice of Wake County's Horizons Grief Center offers other programs designed specifically for teens and children: Camp Reflections, in-school programs and Wonders & Worries.

    Camp Reflections is a day camp for grieving children and teens (ages 5-17 years), including activities such as music, arts and crafts, and games. Grief-related activities are conducted in small and large group settings, and are led by trained facilitators. Camp Reflections participants will have the opportunity to connect with other kids and families that have experienced a loss and better understand what they are feeling. This full day allows campers to find safe and creative ways to give voice to feelings and thoughts about their grief, take time to play, laugh, cry, and feel a sense of normalcy, while nurturing memories and building self-confidence and self-worth.

    In-school programs, provided to students in Wake County public and private schools¸ include individual counseling and in-school support groups. These one-on-one sessions with the child or teen last approximately 30-45 minutes, during a pre-arranged time that is least disruptive to the child's academic schedule. Support groups are 6-week programs to help children and teens connect with and relate to others at their school who have experienced a loss. Groups meet once a week and are co-led with the school's counselor or social worker.

    Counseling for young people through Horizons Grief Center is led by counseling professionals who are specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging life events and stressful health care experiences.

    Hospice of Wake County's Horizons Grief Center offers a program designed specifically for teens and children that are coping with an adult loved one's illness. Wonders & Worries provides age-appropriate understanding of the illness, its treatments and side effects, how the illness affects the family, and identifying individual coping skills to help ease feelings of sadness, anger, and fear. Wonders & Worries offers both individual counseling and support groups to assist these children. Wonders & Worries support groups are offered to ages 4-18, help children and their families cope when a parent or caregiver has a chronic or life-threatening illness, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Alzheimer's, etc. The impact of a parent's serious illness on a child can affect their mental health, family functioning, school performance, friendships, growth and development, and overall adjustment. Often, children in these situations can experience behavioral changes, physical complaints, anxiety, decreased use of effective coping skills, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns. Wonders & Worries counsels children in understanding the situation and handling these potential negative effects.

    Please contact the Horizons Grief Center 919-828-0890 or visit http://www.hospiceofwake.org for more information.

    About Hospice of Wake County
    Celebrating life since 1979, Hospice of Wake County provides physical, emotional and spiritual care to those living with an advanced illness, their caregivers and those who have lost a loved one, regardless of age, race, religion or financial circumstances. Guided by community-based boards of directors and supported by a dedicated professional staff, the goal of Hospice of Wake County is to provide compassionate hospice care that allows patients to enjoy every moment of their lives to the fullest; services are available to those in Wake, Durham, Franklin, Harnett and Johnston counties. For more information call 919-828-0890 or visit http://www.hospiceofwake.org

    About the Big Bad Ball
    Presented by The Capital City Club's Young Executives, the Big Bad Ball is an annual black tie gala benefitting Hospice of Wake County. Guests can enjoy five open bars, a wide selection of hors d'oeuvres and a late night breakfast. Each year, the event raises funds to support Hospice of Wake County's Benevolent Care Program and Horizons Grief Center, which provides necessary end-of-life care for terminally ill patients and their families. More than 300 guests attended the 2010 event, which raised nearly $100,000. To learn more about the Big Bad Ball, please visit http://www.bigbadball.com or call Hospice of Wake County at 919-828-0890.

    How to get Tickets to the Big Bad Ball
    To purchase event tickets or raffle tickets, please call the Capital City Club at 919-832-5526 or Kelly Hughes with Hospice of Wake County at 919-828-0890. To become a Corporate Sponsor, contact Ryan Donnelly at 919-926-7686. If you have questions or need additional information, please call Courtney Harris at 919-439-5145 or Brad Barbour at 919-573-6408.

    Media Contact: Rachel Gaffney
    Media Partners, Inc.
    919.781.0433
    rachel ( @ ) mediapartners-inc dot com

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