The newly created support group for families that have lost love ones will host its third meeting on June 23 at Potters Hope Ministries, located off of Commerce Drive in Leitchfield, at 6 p.m.

The group was started by HOSPARUS after Clinical Coordinator Wanda Dobbins noticed there was no formal support group for those who have lost family members in the Grayson County area.

The support group is open to anyone who has suffered a loss due to death and feels they can benefit from the support of others in similar situations. There is no cost to attend and membership is not limited to HOPARUS patients.

There were a dozen members at the first meeting, on May 26 and the second meeting filled the room with those who have lost spouses, children, parents and loved ones.

Each member was given the opportunity to share with the group anything that might help that person deal with the death of the one they lost.

Dobbins, who is the instructor for the group, was pleased with the attendance and discussed adding a second group.

“Those who have attended these first two meetings have done a wonderful job sharing and supporting each other,” said Dobbins. “If this grows much more we may have to discuss branching off and adding a second group.”

Dobbins said the reason the group was started was to provide a more convenient location for families.

“We serve Grayson County as part of service area,” she explained. “It is part of our follow-up services with families. We realized that we needed to have something more accessible for people. During the bereavement service groups it is really nice to sit down with someone else that understands you, and what you are going through.”

The educational part of the services is to let people know that it is okay to express certain emotions.

“We offer a place to talk about it (death of a loved one),” Dobbins mentioned. “People also get a chance to connect with each other on a local level and share things more often.”

If someone has questions about the L.O.S.S. group or Hosparus in general, they can call Dobbins by phone at 270-737-6300 or 800-686-9577.

“We are committed to families following the death of a patient,” she urged. “These type of services are of no cost to anybody. It is just a service that Hosparus provides to the community that hospice provides.”