Going through the loss of a loved one is never an easy thing. When a family has had a child die at any age, it is a life altering experience. Search for understanding, friendship, and hope to get through the grieving process actually seems impossible.

The Compassionate Friends is a group created to provide support when life seems so empty. Founded by Chaplain Simon Stephens 50 years ago, The Compassionate Friends is a network of over 600 chapters serving all 50 states offering hope to bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members during the natural grieving process after a child has died.

Misty Delanoit was instrumental in bringing The Compassionate Friends to Fort Dodge after the unfortunate passing of her daughter, Kennedy. Her search for support led her to a chapter in Algona and she soon realized the need for a group here in Fort Dodge. With the help of Randy Kuhlman and the Fort Dodge Community Foundation she was able to start the chapter locally. Karla Detmering now helps organize the meetings and communicates with our members and anybody new that might benefit from the group.

Support organizations like ours allow family members to discuss their grief with others who truly understand what they are feeling. This sharing of the life of the child, and the subsequent struggles to cope after the child has died, allow survivors to start the lengthy process toward healing.

We come together as a small group of bereaved parents to provide a haven where all grieving families can meet and share our long and arduous grief journey together. We reach out and offer support, understanding, encouragement and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents. We also celebrate the lives of our children, share the joys and the triumphs as well as the love that will never fade. Together, strengthened by the bonds we forge at our gatherings, we offer what we have learned from each other to every recently bereaved family that seeks our friendship and support.

The Compassionate Friends of Fort Dodge meets the second Monday of the month at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 1436 21st Ave. N. We meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and we typically have a topic that we discuss. We welcome any family members who are grieving the loss of a child. We hope you will contact us and join us at our meetings. We are here to help.

To contact The Compassionate Friends, call Karla Detmering at: 515-408-1057

Karla Detmering is the group leader of The Compassionate Friends in Fort Dodge.