With the approval of House Resolution 1567, today was declared Grief Awareness Day in the State of Georgia.
“When a family suffers a tragedy, we often don’t know what to say. It’s important for people to have the support they need through the grief process.” said House Rep. Elena Parent. Rep. Parent was instrumental in bringing the resolution to the State House of Representatives along with members of Kate’s Club.
Today was another milestone for recognition of the effects of grief on all those involved and the need to provide support for those dealing with loss. The loss of a loved one can be very impactful. It is important to increase understanding of the impact and what we can do as a community to help our friends and family who may be dealing with loss. It is imperative that we don’t put anyone in a position to have to deal with loss on their own.
“At it’s core, grief is love.” said Kate Atwood while facing the Georgia House of Represantives and a host of other guests. “I wanted Kate’s Club to ensure that no child grieves alone.”
Kate’s Club was founded by Atwood nine years ago and was inspired by the loss of her mother due to cancer while she was a child.
One of the proudest moments of the day was when a KC teen member Josiah addressed the House of Representatives. He openly spoke about losing his father and the process that ensued as he dealt with a difficult loss. He was introduced to Kate’s Club and it introduced and exposed him to incredible support resources and a community of other children dealing with a similar situation. As he stated, “It’s like a big family.” Josiah has been influential and served as a role model and mentor to many other children during his years coming to Kate’s Club.
In addition to the passage of the resolution and speeches in front of the house, there were other activities at the capitol. A contingent from Kate’s Club was on hand to present state representatives and state senators were presented with “Faces of Grief” plaques highlighting the grief journey of an individual child. Blue ribbons with “Grief Awareness” imprinted were also passed out and worn at the capitol.
Grief is an issue that effects all of us to a different extent and at different times. Today was another step in recognizing the effects of grief and the need to support those impacted.
~Howard Kalin
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