November, 2018: For her recent decade birthday, Gail-Ann Simon’s children, Jennifer, A.J, and Elizabeth created a fund in their mother’s honor to provide children who are visiting loved ones at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence, with a special care pack. Gail-Ann has been a hospice volunteer since 2000. She has spent countless hours providing comfort and care to hospice patients and their loved ones. She has also volunteered at the children’s bereavement support program, HEARTplay℠, and Camp Erin® Boston, the children’s grief camp, since its inception. Her son A.J. said, “We knew this would be a cause near and dear to our mother’s heart. It combines her compassion for children first acquired while she was a teacher with her understanding of caring for a loved one with a serious illness of any age.”
Launched to align with Children’s Grief Awareness Day, November 2018 Children’s Care packs are now available as part of standard distribution to any child visiting a loved one at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence in Wayland. Gail-Ann said, “My hope is that these packs will provide a small measure of comfort to the children and ease the transition they will be experiencing.” Since learning of the fund Gail-Ann has given careful thought to including items in the care packs that will provide the right balance of comfort, guidance and diversion. The care packs will include an age-appropriate grief guidebook, message writing materials and other items to help children express their feelings.