Candlelight ceremony gives kids chance to grieve

Northwest Community Healthcare will host a Children's Grief Awareness Day Candlelight Ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at Jazzman's Café in the hospital.

This event will honor young people who are grieving and give them time to express their emotions in a safe space while remembering their loved one.

"Any child who is old enough to love is old enough to grieve," says Jill Kottmeier, Perinatal Palliative Care coordinator. "No child should have to grieve alone."

Approximately one in five children experiences the death of someone they love, and one in 20 high school-age children has lost a parent. Email jkottmeier@nch.org to RSVP by Nov. 20.

Parking is available in Garage B on the hospital campus, 800 W. Central Road, Arlington Heights. Use Entrance #2.

Named one of Healthgrades™ America's 250 best hospitals, Northwest Community Healthcare is celebrating 60 years of exceptional care. The Arlington Heights campus is home to a 509-bed hospital with full-service retail pharmacy, behavioral health center and state-of-the-art Northwest Community Healthcare Wellness Center with spa.

Throughout the Northwest suburbs, Northwest Community Healthcare has 23 doctors' offices; five immediate care centers; seven physical rehabilitation sites; and 13 lab locations.

Board-certified primary and specialty care physicians see 350,000 patients a year and the hospital treats 20,000 inpatients annually.

With a nationwide ranking in the top 5% for cardiac care, Northwest Community Healthcare also holds numerous distinctions for its breast care, pulmonology, GI, colorectal and neuroscience programs. Emergent care includes a Level II Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and dedicated pediatric emergency department.