HSHS Home Care announced on May 7 that it will hold butterfly release ceremonies at several Hospital Sisters Health System hospitals throughout central Illinois during the month of May.
The ceremonies are scheduled at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville, and HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Family members and friends are invited to these events to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed away.
Each ceremony will include the reading of names of those being honored followed by a butterfly release. Valerie Engelbart, Bereavement Services Supervisor for HSHS Home Care, said, “These butterfly release ceremonies provide a special time for families in our communities to honor their loved ones. The butterfly represents the transformation of the spirit as our loved ones transition from this life. As we release butterflies together, we celebrate the lives that have touched our hearts and find comfort in our shared experiences of love and loss.”
Participants can reserve a butterfly for $15 to personally release during the ceremony by contacting Engelbart or visiting giving.hshs.org/sae/donate and following specific instructions online.
Saint John’s Hospital is part of the Hospital Sisters Health System network serving central and southern Illinois with comprehensive health care services including advanced cardiac care, pediatric treatment, orthopedic services, rehabilitation programs, imaging diagnostics, specialized facilities such as the Women and Infants Center and Neurosciences Center; it also supports clinical education programs through its foundation according to the official website.
The broader significance of these ceremonies lies in offering community members an opportunity to come together for remembrance while supporting each other through grief.
