A search for solace.

Christina Curlett was considerate and selfless with a great sense of humor. Diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma, Christina leaned on those life skills. Her husband Greg recalled, “When cancer came, it was the most important time to have a sense of humor,” he shared, “because it’s so dark and heavy, so terminal and scary.”

Eight months after her diagnosis, Christina suffered a seizure and died, sending the entire family – Greg, their five-year-old son Mason, Christina’s two grown children and stepfather – down an uncharted road to recovery through grief and healing.

Greg vividly remembers, “It was incredibly hard, incredibly lonely and [there were] very hard nights of just sitting there. Everything is super quiet and makes your ears throb, because the voice is gone and the laughter’s not there.”

Grief support at Solace House

Greg joined a peer grief support group at Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care’s Solace House Center for Grief and Healing. The opportunity to share his emotions and remember his wife with others who related to his experience was healing for Greg. He reflects, “It’s a journey and Solace House was my anchor in figuring out what to do next. I paid close attention to other people’s stories and how they felt. You never get selfish thinking this is specifically my pain, my story. It’s like a bonding experience with all of these people.”

When she first received her diagnosis, Christina and Greg’s biggest concern was how it would affect their young son Mason. A few months after attending Solace House, Greg brought Mason to join in art, music, and other therapeutic activities with children his age. Mason continued his Solace House support group and also attended Camp Erin, a weekend grief camp for children ages 6 to 17. Greg shares, “Everything is about positive growth, recognizing the past, and honoring it by moving forward.”

“I seek strength to carry on. I seek courage to move beyond pain. I seek faith to believe happiness will come again. Solace is my goal. I can find it. I can help others discover it.” —Solace House Affirmation

Camp Erin is one of two grief camps offered annually for kids and families. Thanks to support from our donors, there are no fees for families.

About Us

 

The mission of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care is to bring expert care, peace of mind, comfort, guidance, and hope to people who are affected by life-limiting illness or by grief. Our vision is that each person in our community is valued from life through death and each family is supported in their grief.