Finding Solace, Connection, and Hope at the First System-Wide Day of Remembrance
15 patient families attended
61 people attended
23 volunteers at the event
1.5 years spent planning this event
29 people on planning committee
By Jessamy Brown
Healthcare workers are privileged to witness moments of profound joy for our patient families but also share in moments of deepest sorrow. For years, individual areas and departments at Cook Children’s have hosted ceremonies to honor the children whose lives, though too brief, left an indelible mark on their loved ones and our staff.
These have been beautiful, well-received moments of reflection. Yet, many of our bereaved families experienced the death of a child outside of a traditional inpatient unit—perhaps in another hospital area or even in an outpatient setting. Their death was no less profound, and staff members involved in the direct care of these families felt it was important that every family be provided the same opportunity to remember and honor their beloved child, says Magellan Taylor-Brickey, Hematology/Oncology Family Care Coordinator.
This vision led to the creation of a task force that worked to merge the separate events into one beautiful Day of Remembrance for every Cook Children’s family who experienced the death of a child between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025.
“Our goal is to come alongside families to celebrate the lives of children who were in our care,” Magellan said. “We wanted to create a safe space to reflect on memories, to say their child's name out loud, and to see, unequivocally, that they are not alone.”
A Day Among the Giraffes
This year's inaugural system-wide event on Nov. 15, 2025, welcomed parents, grandparents, siblings, and other loved ones. Identifying the right venue for a day centered on love and remembrance is a challenge, but the task force members chose the Fort Worth Zoo for its family-friendly atmosphere and its ability to meet the unique needs of guests.
The group gathered in a private space next to the giraffes, creating a sense of peace and wonder. At the ceremony, families listened to a special reading of a book chosen to anchor the day, followed by words of validation and affirmation from staff offered to let families know their feelings are seen and their grief is held, said Brianna Benzinger, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Chaplain.
After lunch was served by the Zoo, families had the opportunity to participate in breakout activities: one focused specifically on caregivers, one for kids and a joint expressive arts activity. Each was designed to offer a therapeutic space for processing and coping with their grief.
Each family also received a gift: a copy of the book that had been read aloud, “Grief is an Elephant,” by Tamara Ellis Smith, a stuffed elephant, and a custom-made journal with cover art drawn by Sydney Peel, resident artist with Cook Children’s creative arts program. The design featured the animals found in the book depicting the changing size of grief as time passes—an elephant, a deer, a fox, a mouse, and a firefly.
Many families chose to roam the grounds afterwards, which provided time to be together as a family, a normalcy that can be fractured by grief, and a much-needed outlet after a time of heavy feelings and emotions.
The team heard from families who were initially anxious about engaging with their grief, only to leave feeling like the event helped them remember their child in a positive way and feel more deeply connected to them.
“This is a community no family wants to be a part of, but we truly believe those who attended left with a reinforced sense of support, comfort, and hope among one another,” Magellan said. “We plan to continue this tradition, enhancing the grief and bereavement support we offer our families, for many years to come.”