Annual Run To Support Grieving Families Planned For Elk Grove Village

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL — Each year, more than 2,500 families in Illinois are forced to deal with the death of a child. In addition, one in four pregnancies end in loss, according to The HAP Foundation. Organizers of the 7th annual Butterfly Run Walk & Flutter know these grim statistics and want to make a difference.

In an effort to support grieving families following child loss, the event is planned for 9 a.m. Oct. 2, at Busse Woods, Ned Brown Grove No. 26, Elk Grove Village. The event is sponsored by Missing Pieces, Greater Illinois Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, and The HAP Foundation

Many families grieve alone and feel isolated without a place to share their story or a community to understand their heartache, according to a news release. The Butterfly Run 5k brings hope and healing for grieving families by creating a community of support and dedicating a day to celebrating the memory of their baby or child.

Register to run or donate at www.butterflyrunillinois.org. A post-run party in the park with children’s activities, entertainers, music and more. For questions, contact info@butterflyrunillinois.org or 312-741-1283.

About Missing Pieces and The HAP Foundation:

Missing Pieces is a network of Chicagoland organizations dedicated to supporting families and their communities following the death of an infant, child, or young adult. Our partners bring expertise in child loss by illness, trauma, homicide, overdose and suicide, serving families and children grieving prenatal through young adult deaths.

The HAP Foundation is an independent nonprofit that provides education, advocacy, workforce development, and research around hospice and palliative care for all ages. With four decades rooted in direct patient care, it focuses on providing guidance to resources, including grief and bereavement support; educating communities and professionals; and advancing policies that assist individuals and families coping with end of life.