About Us

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When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family.  

(Adopted by the Board of Directors February 25, 2012)

We need not walk alone. We are The Compassionate Friends.  We reach out to each other with love, with understanding, and with hope. The children we mourn have died at all ages and from many different causes, but our love for them unites us.  Your pain becomes my pain, just as your hope becomes my hope. We come together from all walks of life, from many different circumstances.  We are a unique family because we represent many races, creeds, and relationships.  We are young, and we are old.  Some of us are far along in our grief, but others still feel a grief so fresh and so intensely painful that they feel helpless and see no hope.  Some of us have found our faith to be a source of strength, while some of us are struggling to find answers.  Some of us are angry, filled with guilt or in deep depression, while others radiate an inner peace.  But whatever pain we bring to this gathering of The Compassionate Friends, it is pain we will share, just as we share with each other our love for the children who have died.  We are all seeking and struggling to build a future for ourselves, but we are committed to building a future together.  We reach out to each other in love to share the pain as well as the joy, share the anger as well as the peace, share the faith as well as the doubts, and help each other to grieve as well as to grow.  We Need Not Walk Alone. We are The Compassionate Friends.  ©2016 The Compassionate Friends

The Compassionate Friends organization began in 1968, in Coventry, England. Two young boys were dying in the same hospital. Ministering to them was a young chaplain named Simon Stephens.  After their sons died, the parents met for tea and found that they could cry together and speak openly and endlessly. The words I understand held real meaning, since they were feeling many of the same things. After a time, Simon Stephens suggested a meeting with other bereaved parents. Six people were present at that first meeting. The group spread to the United States in 1972. There are now 640 Chapters in more than 35 countries. 

The National Organization sponsors an annual convention each summer. This will be the 46th convention. There will be at least 1500 attendees, and over 100 workshops.

The Pinellas County chapter has been meeting since 1975. It was founded by Don and Lucile Casey after their daughter Janelle was hit by a school bus. In 1985, Marge and Bud Klien led the Chapter.  Since 1989, Carol and Carl Dunn had been our chapter leaders for over 20 years.  In 2014, Nova and Will Redlow became our newest chapter leaders, and retired in 2020.  Our current leaders are Christie Dunaway and Rhonda Cowgill.  All have helped countless bereaved parents.

Our activities include one meeting each month, a picnic and butterfly release at our garden at Moccasin Lake Park, the Worldwide Candle Lighting each December,  a Mother's Day event in May, and Father's Day event in June.

What happens at our meetings?  Some meetings are just caring and sharing. Other times there is a speaker, video or audio to spark conversation. Always there is time to introduce ourselves and tell our story.