Illuminating HOPE is a virtual gathering of butterflies, each one a message of love and honor and support, and coming together in this mosaic, a beacon of HOPE to all who are grieving the death of a loved one.

People from all across the world have created and contributed these butterflies, showing children that they are not alone—that they are cared about and supported in their grief.

Explore the Mosaic

Designed by MarketSpace Agency, this mural represents the theme for Children’s Grief Awareness Day 2021: It’s OK To Not Be OK — acknowledging that all feelings experienced during the grief journey are OK. The mural is made up of thousands of stories of grief joined together, a reminder that no matter what you’re feeling, it is OK and You Are Not Alone.

Please wait while we finish creating your butterfly...

Thank You

Thank you for being part of Illuminating HOPE. Your butterfly, along with so many others, is a powerful message of hope and transformation.

Share your butterfly on:

Create Another Butterfly
Visit the Butterfly Garden

Looking for grief support? Contact us.

Create Your
Butterfly

Please create your own virtual butterfly using the tools to the right. Then add your butterfly to the Butterfly Garden by hitting “SUBMIT.” Make your butterfly of HOPE:

In MEMORY of loved ones who have died
In HONOR of a child or adult who is grieving
In SUPPORT of grieving children, adults, and families everywhere

The collection for butterflies for the mosaic has been completed, however, your butterfly will be added to the Garden.

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Significant date(s) such as a birthday, anniversary, dates of life, etc.

Your name will be displayed with your butterfly. Entering a name is not required.

By entering your email address below you agree to receive future communications from Highmark Caring Place.

We reserve the right to remove butterflies based on inappropriate content.

Looking for grief support? Contact us.

Despite the challenges, we
still came together in hope.

No matter who you are, no matter where you are from – in some way, you were affected by COVID. Personally or professionally. Directly or indirectly. It changed the way we worked. The way we gathered. And the way we grieved.

We are grateful to the more than 6,000 people who took advantage of this platform to share stories, show support, and connect with others who were also grieving. That outpouring of engagement has encouraged us to continue to offer this site as a place to be surrounded with others like you – with a passion for making sure that no grieving child should feel alone. We believe this virtual garden will continue to provide a place to gather and connect in a new and unique way… one of the small but many beacons of hope that emerged after the dust of 2020 settled. We invite you to share your stories once again by creating a butterfly in honor of a love one you’ve lost. Together, we continue to unite in a flight of hope.