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Coping with Grief During the Holidays

MISS Foundation Hosting National Children’s Memorial Day Service

        The holidays are especially difficult for the bereaved.  If you or someone you know is mourning the death of a child of any age, please consider attending the National Children’s Memorial Day Service at the Temple Chai at 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032 on Sunday, December 11 at 6:30 pm.  Free refreshments served following the memorial service. Temple Chai is west of Tatum Blvd, approximately ½ mile north of Thunderbird Road.

National Children’s Memorial Day began in 1997, and is held annually on the second Sunday in December. At 7:00 p.m. candles are lit around the world, creating a virtual wave of light in which countless families and friends commemorate and honor the memory of children in a way that transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries.  Such candle lighting events are held both formally and informally, from hundreds of people gathered together, to small family gatherings.

The MISS Foundation hosts National Children’s Memorial Day in the form of a non-denominational memorial service.  Everyone in attendance lights a candle in honor of the beloved child who has died. The MISS Foundation also invites families and loved ones to bring a photo and/or memento to display in the sanctuary during the service.

The MISS Foundation, a Phoenix based nonprofit organization, serves families after the death of a child at any age, from any cause.  The support services that the MISS Foundation provides are multi-faceted and include crisis outreach, support groups, one on one counseling, online support forums, family grief conferences, research and advocacy.  National Children’s Memorial Day is one of the MISS Foundation’s annual events in support of those families who have lost a child.

MISS Foundation founder, Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, speaks to the importance of the National Children’s Memorial Day Service, “Rituals are a crucial part of healthy bereavement.  NCMD is a way for families to proactively remember and honor their child who died too soon, and reminds us all to cherish every moment we have with our children.  It's a lesson from which every parent on Earth can benefit.”