CHEO and Roger Neilson House provide a comprehensive bereavement care program to families who have lost a child who was a patient at CHEO or a guest at Roger Neilson House.
Grieving is a normal reaction to loss. It should not be shortened. It has to run its course in the short term and will likely continue in one form or another for the life of the parent.
Our child life specialists, social workers and spiritual support services provide support to our families throughout their journey. We also offer group bereavement sessions, individual counseling, and a variety of resources and memory-making materials for families.
Grief is personal yet it can allow us to ask for support and comfort from those around us. Support may come from family and friends, but the deepest support often comes from others who have gone through a similar loss. Comfort can be found through the support, understanding and sharing of this loss with others with similar pain or grief.
Community events
Butterfly Release
This memorial event is for families who have lost a child, no matter how old. The afternoon starts with a brief ceremony and then each family releases a butterfly into the sky. The Butterfly Release is held in the garden behind Ronald McDonald House (407 Smyth Road, Ottawa). The event is sponsored by CHEO and The Compassionate Friends.
Monthly sharing circle
When: the third Tuesday of every month, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Each month, The Compassionate Friends holds a sharing circle. A sharing circle provides you with the opportunity to share your feelings, emotions and experiences in a safe space filled with trust and empathy.
The sharing circle takes place at the Olde Forge Community Resource Centre (located at 2730 Carling Avenue, Ottawa).
Worldwide candle lighting celebration
When: the second Sunday in December at 7:00 p.m.
Around the world, local chapters of The Compassionate Friends hold an annual candle lighting celebration. Families are invited to light a candle in honour of their child who has passed away. As candles burn down in one time zone, they are lit in the next. This creates a 24-hour wave of light around the world.