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Grief, Loss and Remembrance Program

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Annual Remembrance Service 2020

Every year, Children's National Hospital honors all children who have died within the past two years. Due to COVID-19, we invited families to join us virtually this year. View messages from our leadership, a musical solo and the reading of children's names by our chaplaincy staff.

Our Chaplaincy Services staff recognizes that when a child dies, families need compassionate and skilled help in their journey through the grieving process. It is the mission of the Grief, Loss and Remembrance Program to provide the following:

Resources for Families

  • Memory boxes
  • Age-appropriate books for brothers and sisters to help them understand their sibling’s death
  • Books and print materials for parents, grandparents and other family and friends

Outreach to Families

  • Sympathy cards
  • Birthday and anniversary cards
  • Bi-annual newsletter
  • Listserv for families to connect with one another and receive information
  • Seasonal mailings with information and memory-making activities

Remembrance Events

  • Annual remembrance/memorial service for families who have lost a child

Counseling and Referrals

  • One-on-one grief support and community referrals for individual counseling and support
  • Two grief support groups – one in English and one in Spanish
    • The English-speaking support group meets on the second Tuesday of the month and the Spanish-speaking support group meets Mondays at the groups’ convenience
    • Both support groups meet at the Hospital for Sick Children Pediatric Center which is located at 1731 Bunker Hill Road, NE, Washington, DC, 20017

Education and Support for Staff

  • To ensure culturally and spiritually competent staff
  • To provide one-on-one, as well as unit-based support during times of crisis and/or grief and loss