Events

William E. Joyce Golf Invitational            Monday August 4, 2008
Name ______________________________ Address ____________________________ City _______________________________	Phone _______________________ E-mail _______________________ State / Zip ____________________
Golf, Lunch & Dinner - $1,500 per foursome Please assign __________ to a foursome - $375 per golfer
Please enter _____ raffle tickets in my name at $50 each $___________ Reservations for the Cocktail Reception at 4:30, followed by Dinner: ______ people @ $75 per person
GRAND TOTAL AMOUNT AUTHORIZED $ _____________________________ Check enclosed - Payable to the LOSS Program Visa MaserCard Discover American Express # __________________________ Expiration Date ____/____ Signature: ________________________________________
RSVP by July 18, 2008.   Limited to 120 Golfers William E. Joyce Golf Invitational, Catholic Charities, 721 N. LaSalle Street, 4th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60610

The LOSS Program goes to Beijing, China

Letter from the Editor

Dear LOSS Members,

From it's inception in 1979 the LOSS Program has evolved from three families and a catholic priest to an organization that provides grief support services to several hundred "survivors" in the great Chicago area.

On the 25th of March, 2008, the LOSS Program model was transported to Beijing, China at the request of Dr. Michael Philips, Director of the Suicide Research and Prevention Center of Beijing. Father Charles Rubey, Founder and Director of LOSS agreed to provide a training seminar based on the LOSS model for staff personnel, clinicians, and survivors at the research center.

The project was funded by Suicide Prevention International (S.P.I.), headquartered in New York and directed by Dr. Herbert Hendin, a LOSS honoree. Dr. Hendin was instrumental in arranging a training seminar in Chicago in 2006 for a group from the University of Hong Kong and the New York Settlement House.

As a result of the success of the 2006 seminar LOSS was asked to provide a similar program in Beijing. A major difference being our audience did not speak English. Our presentation and training material had to be translated to Mandarin Chinese.

The trip proved to be an extraordinary experience. We were joined by Dr. Edward Dunne (psychologist and survivor) who represented S.P.I. Our team consisted of Father Charles Rubey, Dr. Edward Dunne, Laraine Bodnar, and myself. Dr. Dunne is a psychologist and has been providing survivor support services in the New York area for many years. His assistance was most beneficial to our program.

The purpose and goal of our mission was to deliver the tenants and principles of the LOSS Program in a teaching format to staff members and survivors of the Beijing Clinic. After three days of hard work we accomplished our mission and a bond was formed with a group of loving people who wish to provide help to those who are suffering a loss due to suicide.

In the opinion of our team, the program was a success and a step forward in raising awareness for the need of survivor support on an international basis. This wonderful experience was well worth the ardor and tedium of the travel. We were able to communicate the dynamics of the LOSS Program in a manner that proved to be successful, despite the language barrier. I must add, we would not have accomplished our mission without the services of our brilliant Chinese translator, Yang Rong.

The LOSS team received the utmost kindness and hospitality from our wonderful hosts and Chinese friends. I am certain that a more caring and loving people do not exist. I also know that regardless of cultural background or language difference, the excruciating pain or grief because of a suicidal loss is the same whether American of Chinese; the pain is universal.

Therefore, I urge LOSS members to read a painful but courageous story by Zhang Fan, who is the first person in China to go public with her experience of becoming a survivor. Ms. Zhang Fan is a strong and loving woman who has suffered a great deal but is willing to step forward in order to help others who are coping with a similar tragedy.

Many thanks are in order for this enlightening experience. The preparation was difficult, but the reward was worth the effort. Finally, we would like to thank all of our newfound friends at the Beijing Research and Suicide Prevention Center directed by Dr. Michael Philips (please see the adjoining list), as well as his lovely wife, Marlys Bueber. We would also like to thank Suicide Prevention International for its sponsorship: as well as Dr. Edward Dunne for his assistance, and Dr. Herbert Hendin for his support.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to Laraine Bodnar (LOSS trainer); her participation was invaluable for the success of the program: also Shaun Williams (my assistant); without her work, the program could not have been accomplished.

Lastly, I would like to thank Father Charles Rubey for his leadership in developing the LOSS Program over the past thirty years. The LOSS Program has now been introduced to China - Xie Xie Beijing (Thank you, Beijing).

Sincerely,

A. Bruce Engle L.C.S.W.