PARKVILLE, Md. — Gilchrist Hospice Care is giving hope to those hurting after losing a loved one.
Hundreds attended the fourth-annual Steps of Hope: A Tribute Walk & Butterfly Release at Cromwell Valley Park Sunday afternoon.
Walkers were given memory badges with their loved one's pictures and memory flags lined the route. There was also a butterfly release. The butterflies symbolized hope and that the pain felt by those grieving will eventually ease.
“Death is a part of life, and what people will find when they come to our program for support is out of that pain and sadness that they originally have, they know that they can continue to live. And that's important. So remembrance events aren't just about crying and being sad, it's really about finding joy again,” said Hilary Harrington, a clinical grief counselor at Gilchrist.
The event was open to anyone in the community. While Gilchrist provides hospice services, they also serve the community with individual counseling, grief support groups, events, and workshops.
“I think we don't do enough for our community, for people to honor their loved ones. We tend to think they get over their loss within weeks and months, and that's not true at all. We never get over our grief. We actually wear it like a second skin,” said Debbie Jones, a Gilchrist bereavement program manager.
If you’d like to learn more about the bereavement program at Gilchrist, click here or call 443-849-8251.
