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Your generous support of Dougy Center provides hope and healing for families, including Sara Bovitz and her sons Charlie and Culby.
Charlie was devastated at age nine when his father, J.J., died of a brain tumor.
“Who’s going to take care of us now?” he shouted, through sobs. “Who’s going to make us food and take us to school? Are we gonna get a stepdad? Mom, do you even know how to work the washing machine?!”
Charlie’s uncertainty and sorrow evolved into too much alone time in the basement; older brother Culby’s grief emerged through anger, often at Sara, the physician breadwinner, who the children thought had the medical superpowers to save their beloved dad from his 13-year battle with cancer.
“I was so shattered when J.J. died; it was all I could do to make sure the boys had pants on when they left for school,” said Sara. “I couldn't deal with anything except what was right in front of me. It was all hard to navigate.” After a particularly intense round of shouting and door slamming, Sara reached out to Dougy Center.
At Dougy Center, the boys partnered with trusted volunteers and staff, joined groups with kids of similar ages, and were encouraged to talk about their dad if they wished.
“It was so helpful to be in a space designed especially for children, with people who understand grief and loss, even if you don’t necessarily know what that means for yourself yet. And to have time where I could lean into my own grief in a way that you can't as a parent because you have to be strong for your kids — that was also a gift. Dougy Center definitely helped us find our sea legs during a time when we had no bearings.
“It’s not a stretch to say that Dougy Center saved our lives. They offered us a life raft, and I’d recommend Dougy Center to anyone suffering a loss,” said Sara.
For children who are grieving, your support for Dougy Center can truly transform their lives. Your contribution supports a program proven to lessen social isolation and increase feelings of well-being for children of all ages, and makes it possible for Dougy Center to provide services free of charge to families. Consider making a year-end donation here.
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