A support group that formed last May found a special way to remember those who have died to help its members get through the holidays.

By lighting candles and placing a snowflake ornament on a Christmas tree to remember those lost, the newly formed L.O.S.S. group held the first Hospice Holiday Remembrance, Tuesday, December 8.

The support group is for families that have lost loved ones and meets bimonthly at Potters Hope Ministries, located off of Commerce Drive in Leitchfield.

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.

Those who attended the December meeting shared a special bond as they remembered those who would not be here to celebrate the Christmas season.

The snowflake theme was chosen because the uniqueness of the snowflake is similar to the grief each person feels. The grief that is shared by the members of the group is similar in that each person feels a loss but that loss is felt differently and celebrated differently. Like the snowflake no grief is the exactly the same.

There were four candle lit during the remembrance ceremony. The first was for grief, the second symbolized courage and the third was remembrance, with the last candle representing love for the loved one who is mourned.

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.

Wanda Dobbins, who is the Bereavement Councilor for the group, was pleased with the attendance and within a few meeting of the group being formed a second group was added.

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.

“The special Christmas Remembrance Ceremony was help to offer those who attend the group one more way to remember those lost during this difficult time,” said Dobbins.

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,” said Dobbins. “These type of services are of no cost to anybody. It is just a service that Hosparus provides to the community that hospice provides.”