Anyone who has suffered the loss of their child, is invited to an informal meeting on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the Family Center across from the  Harper Talasek Funeral Home at 500 West Barton (corner of North 9th and Barton) in Temple.  The child could have been any age from an infant to an adult.

The purpose of the meeting is to establish a local chapter of The Compassionate Friends, a nonprofit self-help bereavement support organization for families that have experienced the death of a child.

When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated.  The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild and helps others better assist the grieving family.

Today, more than 640 chapters serving all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico offer friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents during the natural grieving process after a child has died.  The current nearest chapter to Temple is Gatesville.

The meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Family Center.  For more information, call Sue Hamby, PhD at 254-228-6473.  To learn more about The Compassionate Friends, visit their national website at www.compassionatefriends.org.