PRPCS organizes a Pediatric Bereavement Memorial Support Group
The Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society (PRPCS) had organized a poignant reflection of a profound, yet a transformative and encouraging event in life, by organizing a Pediatric Bereavement Memorial Support Group event on Tuesday, 22nd October, 2024, at Hyderabad.
The event was envisioned to ensure that every grieving parent could find the bereavement group and then be helped by being connected with the group. The event also aimed to celebrate the life of children lost and offer support to the grieving families.
The memories of the children lost, each a precious soul taken too soon by life-limiting illnesses, remain indelibly etched in the hearts of the team from PRPCS who cared for them. From the moment of diagnosis, the Pediatric and Perinatal Palliative Care Teams of PRPCS embraced these families within the walls of primary care hospitals. With unwavering compassion and steadfast companionship, the team walked alongside the children and their families through their journeys at MNJ Cancer Hospital (MNJIO), Niloufer Children’s Hospital, Mandara Children’s Hospice, Hyderabad and various Telangana district Palliative Care Centers. In the tender moments of care, both during illness and at the end of life, profound connections blossomed, transforming families and teams into a united community—a family bound by shared grief and hope.
The loss of these innocent lives is an unbearable sorrow that weighs heavily on the hearts of parents and health care teams alike. In honour of the beloved children lost, the team at PRPCS took the heartfelt step to organize a Bereavement Support Group Event in Hyderabad. This gathering is the culmination of immense care and thoughtful planning: budgeting, cultivating a shared vision among teams, personally inviting grieving parents and finalizing a meaningful program designed to support one another in the journey of remembrance, sharing and healing.
The program was attended by 22 families (7 Cancer; 11 Non-cancer; and 4 Perinatal), Paediatric teams from PRPCS and MNJIO, Perinatal Teams, treating Oncologists, volunteers of PRPCS, general community, and Make A Wish Foundation members.
The program commenced with welcoming the invited families, remembering each child by their names and presenting a personalized introduction to each of the families, candle lighting, a silent prayer, and explaining the services provided by PRPCS. This was followed by an introduction of the Pediatric Palliative Care members to the group. This was followed by the sharing of memories by the parents and the staff involved in the care of the patient. Comfort kits were then presented for parents and gifts were distributed to the siblings. Thereafter, High tea began which allowed for an informal conversation and one-on-one sharing time between the Oncologists and team members.
The team plans to sustain connection with parents and siblings to explore ongoing support requirements and develop strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of Paediatric Palliative Medicine in Hyderabad, India.
There was also an explicit expression of gratitude by the parents as a wish to continue their relationship with PRPCS teams. The parents were thankful for the event where they could share a lot of happy and painful memories of loss and found it to be very therapeutic.
The song might have ended but the melody continues, together let us continue to hum…