Jason Program Newsletter June 2003 We exist simply because children have touched our hearts. We believe they should be listened to and cared for. To the Jason Program Community -- Our four-month long Maine spring, as rainy and chilled as ever, has finally given way to the beginnings of summer. We hope that the winds bring each of you a similar gift, to brighten the spirit and bring a bit of joy. We wish to express our thanks for the help we have received from our communities recently, especially the Greenleaf family from Camden. In honor of their son, Walden, they created "Walden's Walk", a benefit event for the Jason Program and a celebration of his life. Also, with the help of the local fire department, they sponsored a fund-raising dinner. You can read about these wonderful people and see a picture of Walden here. We also wish to thank the students at Bowdoin College, who awarded us, along with four other local non-profit organizations, their Common Good Grant. In our efforts to help children by providing pediatric palliative care education to professionals, our annual Advanced Study Course will be given from August 20-23 this year. We again enjoy a partnership with the University of New England, and create our curriculum in collaboration with many national organizations. More information is available here. You may also wish to consider attending Children's Hospice International 15th World Conference September 14-17 in Alexandria, Virginia. Dr. Allegretta will present "From Oncologist to Hospice Physician: Lessons from the Pediatric Perspective". The preliminary program lists other excellent topics in a variety of categories. Our web site continues to grow. The section dedicated to Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross has grown, thanks to the kind words of support we have received for her. One message discussed a near-death experience in detail, and included an image created to represent what the individual experienced. It is available on the the words of support page. Our Team Profile page includes a new member, Mr. Richard Tryon. Dick is a kind-hearted soul with a wealth of experience, and we gratefully welcome him to our program. The professional section now offers psychosocial publications in a single area. Many references in all areas have been added. You can start browsing from the Publications page. Lest we forget that our work can exact an emotional toll on ourselves as well as our patients and families, we have created a section titled Caring for Yourself. Finally, feel free to browse our site -- new books, stories, and web sites have been added. As always, on behalf of the children, we thank you for your interest and caring. Sincerely, The Jason Program Team 13 Industrial Park Road Saco, Maine 04072 Phone: (207) 294-8255 Fax: (207) 294-8257 E-mail: mddirector@jasonprogram.org Web: www.jasonprogram.org