Pediatric Bereavement Program | Mass General Hospital

About the Pediatric Bereavement Program 

The Pediatric Bereavement Program at MassGeneral for Children (MGHfC) provides support and resources to families that have experienced the death of a child by providing ongoing guidance and support after a bereaved family has left the hospital. Through this program, families can count on receiving continued care from an interdisciplinary pediatric care team at MGfC as they navigate the first two years of their grief. 

Our Approach to Supporting Families 

Our team is here to support all families during this difficult time. Bereavement support will look different for each family, and is personalized based on the family’s: 

• Experience of their child’s illness and death 
• Culture and faith tradition 
• Care team 
• Individualized needs

Our Support and Care Services 

Our team at MGfC will remain in contact with the family to help them with various efforts, including but not limited to: 

• Reintegrating into their community 
• Transitioning from hospital to community supports 
• Identifying additional supports as needed, such as mental health care 
• Coordinating funeral arrangements 
• Guiding families in how to best support their other children and family members 
• Offering support groups 
• Honoring children through a remembrance service 
• Connecting with other bereaved families
• Offering accessible grief education

Our team will stand alongside the family as they remember their child on special days such as birthdays, anniversaries of death, holidays and milestones that are known to be challenging, such as 1 month, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after death.

The team at the Pediatric Bereavement Program also provides support to the family’s other medical providers who cared for the child prior to their death and may also be experiencing grief. 

Families may opt out of bereavement support at any time.

Family and Caregiver Resources

Note that this is not a full list of resources available to you and your family. If you have questions about the resources listed or would like more information about bereavement support, please contact the MassGeneral for Children Bereavement Program at 617-724-5952 or MGfCBereavementProgram@MGH.Harvard.edu

Bereavement Support for Parents and Caregivers 

• The Association of Death Education & Counseling provides various online resources for coping with loss. The organization can make referrals to support groups throughout the U.S. 
• Compassionate Friends Organization assists families following the death of a child and provides information to help others be supportive. There are chapters located across the U.S. and internationally 
• Hospice Foundation of America offers support and education about death, illness and the process of bereavement to those who are grieving personally or professionally. They offer referrals to grief support groups throughout the U.S. and also sponsor an annual "Living with Grief" teleconference series, a monthly bereavement newsletter and other publications 

Bereavement Support for Children and Teens 

• Club STAR: Sharing Together and Remembering is a group for children and teens ages 5-18 and their parents. The group meets from 5:30-7:30 pm on the first Wednesday of the month, October-June, at Mass General. Club STAR is organized by the MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Child Life services and the Social Work Department. To register, please contact Hillary D’Amato, MS, CCLS, at (617) 643-9276 or mghclubstar@partners.org  
• Camp Angel Wings was developed for children and teens ages 6-15 who share similar experiences with grief. The camp provides them with an educational, therapeutic experience that is also enjoyable 
• Camp Erin® Boston is a free, weekend bereavement camp for children and teens ages 6-17 that combines grief education and emotional support with fun, traditional camp activities 
• Camp Kangaroo provides a camp experience and a supportive atmosphere for children ages 5-13. During their free weekend retreat, participants receive grief education and emotional support combined with fun camp activities that help them learn effective coping strategies 
• Care Dimensions’ grief support program is the most comprehensive in Massachusetts. Services include individual consultation and referrals, workshops and support groups, bereavement resources, community education programs and remembrance and tribute programs 
• Comfort Zone Camp is a bereavement camp for children ages 7-17, and their families for the family programs. The organization also offers young adult programs for ages 18-25 
• HEARTplay℠ Program is a bereavement program for children, teens and young adults. Through conversation, music, movement, visual expression, writing and storytelling, the participants share their feelings and experiences 
• The Carriage House, a Center for Grieving Children and Families is a grief support center for children and teens ages 3-18 and their families 
• The Center for Hope & Healing offers an expansive grief support group program and community programs like Camp BraveHeart for kids as well as remembrance events 
• The Children’s Room creates safe, supportive communities for children and teens ages 3½-18. Its services include ongoing peer support groups, educational series for parents, teen programming, monthly arts-based family nights and adult consultations 
• The Garden provides support to grieving young people and their families through programs and discussion groups geared toward helping young people identify and share their feelings, and to help them begin the healing process 
• The Good Grief Program at Boston Medical Center provides care to children and families through a variety of efforts including offering consultation for caregivers supporting grieving children, grief-sensitive training and consultation for educators, schools and other community agencies 
• Rick’s Place supports children and teens ages 5-18 and their families through facilitated peer support groups 
• Wildflower Camp Foundation offers scholarship assistance for summer camp and enrichment programs to families in which a parent has died 

Meet Our Team

Patricia O’Malley, MD
Medical Advisor, Pediatric Bereavement Program, MGfC

Mary Barber Bussiere, MSW, LICSW
Program Manager, Pediatric Bereavement Program, MGfC




Maryclare O'Brien-Wilson, MDiv.
Spiritual Care Specialist

The MGfC Bereavement Program is made possible by Mass General for Children, Colin's Joy Project, and The Parmenter Foundation.