St. Francis Hospice is presenting its Third Biennial Grief Conference in Hawaii, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., March 14, at the Koolau Ballrooms and Conference Center, 45-550 Kionaole Road, Kaneohe.
The conference, “Caregiving and Grief … Awakening Heart and Soul,” is designed for healthcare professionals, social workers, counselors, chaplains, caregivers and lay persons seeking ways to find meaning and wisdom in caregiving and grief.
Three guest speakers will discuss the challenges of caregiving and loss. They are:
Ben Wolfe, a grief, loss and transition trainer and consultant, is the founder of the St. Mary’s Medical Center’s Grief Support Center in Duluth, Minn., where he has served for 28 years as director and grief counselor. An award-winning educator and author, he is a past president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling.
Frances Kakugawa, a former Hawaii resident and caregiver, taught for many years in Michigan and Hawaii public schools. She is an award-winning poet and author of 11 books, three on caregiving: “Mosaic Moon: Caregiving Through Poetry,” “Breaking the Silence: A Caregiver’s Voice” and “Wordsworth Dances the Waltz,” an illustrated book for children. She leads three support groups in Sacramento.
Kumu Ramsay R. Taum is founder and president of the Hawaii-based Life Enhancement Institute of the Pacific. In recognition of his work advocating the spirit of aloha in the fields of ecology, business, communications and economic development, he was named Distinguished Peacemaker for Peace Day Hawaii 2013. He is an instructor of the Native Hawaiian practices of hooponopono, lomi haha, and kaihewalu lua.
Register online for discounts and savings at www.stfrancishawaii.org or call Wesley Taira at 547-8129.
