Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare to Host Camp BraveHearts for Child Grief

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May 05, 2023, 09:00 ET

Registration closes May 26

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For children ages six to 16 who have experienced loss or bereavement, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Methodist Hospice will host Camp BraveHearts, a safe space for emotional healing after the death of a family member or friend, June 21-23.

The Memphis-based health network is proud to play a role in the Camp BraveHearts program, which offers helpful tools and an environment especially for children to express and process their grief without having to worry about the reactions of others. Trained professionals and volunteers help children, and their families, explore grief-related issues and walk beside them as they take the steps needed to heal.

"As a whole and particularly in our culture, we still find the concept of grief intimidating and difficult to talk about," said Mark Smith, director of Camp BraveHearts. "Adults easily struggle to help younger minds and hearts understand how to navigate such big feelings. We feel honored to provide a space where kids can safely and sensitively release some of the pressure that can build up after a loss."

This year's three-day camp will take place at the For The Kingdom retreat center in Northeast Memphis.

Since the program's inception, campers have attended at no cost to their families, with funding provided by individual donations to the program and through proceeds from the Methodist Healthcare Foundation Golf Tournament. Community members interested in supporting the camp's work can either make a $75 contribution to support a camper for one day or reserve their spot at the 2023 Golf Classic, which will be held in July.

Methodist Le Bonheur also offers bereavement counseling for parents and caregivers throughout the year. For more information, please call Methodist Hospice at 901-516-1600.

About Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has been caring for patients and families regardless of their ability to pay for more than 100 years. Guided by roots in the United Methodist Church and founded in 1918 to help meet the growing need for quality healthcare in the greater Memphis area, MLH has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive healthcare system with 13,000 Associates supporting six hospitals, including nationally ranked Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, hospice residence and physician and specialty practices serving communities across the Mid-South. From transplants and advanced heart procedures to expert neurology services and compassionate cancer care, MLH offers clinical expertise with a focus on improving every life we touch.

SOURCE Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare