The Compassionate Friends is a nonprofit self-help organization whose mission it is to assist families in the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child and to provide information to help others be supportive.

Chapter 1911 meets on the third Thursday of the month at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo Street just north of downtown Rochester. Of about 200 families, half are from Macomb County. New families come in all the time, and families farther along in their grief journey will eventually move away from the group but the number stays pretty constant.

Support group meetings can have anywhere from 10 to 50 people. The newly bereaved can receive comfort from sharing their experience with those farther along in the grieving process, to know that the pain changes and even loses some of its sharp edges as time goes along. Everyone understands that there is no such thing as ``getting over`` the loss of a child.

TCF is neutral on religious issues, so that everyone's beliefs, or non-belief (temporary or permanent) can be accommodated. Everyone must grieve in his or her own personal way and families are there to be supportive to all.

Families may discuss any issue they wish -- how to answer the question: how many children do you have? -- what to do with my child's possessions -- things the non-bereaved say to the bereaved -- getting back to work -- how to help our surviving children grieve -- how to get through our children's birthdays, death anniversaries, the holidays -- how spouses can grieve differently -- memorials, etc.

We maintain information on specific losses, like infant loss, suicide and murder because some families may need an additional source of support.

We have a candle lighting ceremony on the second Sunday of every December and usually hold another memorial like a balloon launch in June. Therefore, there is no regular meeting in December, and there may not be a regular meeting in June.

Chapter leader is Marcia Mikula.

People can send an email message to lindamay@ameritech.net for information or go to the national Website www.compassionatefriends.org. The national organization holds a phenomenal convention every year, this year in Oklahoma City (last year, in Detroit). This year, 2007, wife of Sen. John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, who lost their son, Wade, 16, in an accident, is keynote speaker. There are many different breakout sessions, plus a professionals day for first-responders, funeral home industry people, medical personnel, etc.

Bereaved Parents of the USA is another excellent parents' organization, but there are no chapters in Southeast Michigan.