My own grief experiences drew me to the Center — at the age of 48 my mom died from cancer. Years later, my husband died from cancer at 48 and at the same time I was beginning my journey with stage 3 ovarian cancer. My two children had the same experience I did as a teenager of watching a parent die at home from cancer. Looking back to when I was a teenager and more recently to the impact of grief on my children, the resources and support the Center provides would have helped the healing process and provided a safe place for connection and community.

I serve on the Development and Fundraising and the Programming and Outreach committees, as well as volunteer for events.

Learning from and serving with people who have a heart for the grieving process is most meaningful to me. The relationships being formed are authentic.

The people and programs will meet you where you are in your grief journey — you don’t have to go through grief alone.

To know grief is about loving — if you love, you will grieve. To believe grief is not linear and not defined, it is a process. The ultimate hope is that you move through grief and perhaps find a purpose.

My hopes are the Center gains a broader reach and expanded awareness so families and individuals can find support, connection, and community. I believe there are possibilities to add further programs/workshops in mind-body connection and movement.

Loving. Caring. Supportive. Hard working. Focused. Experts.

You make a difference. Everyone will grieve at some point in life. Grief comes from losing people as well as relationships, health, homes and even jobs. The work the Center does and the services they provide is crucial.

You will find the work and relationships meaningful. People helping people at perhaps the most painful experience in life…how could you go wrong?