Grief has parallels to the life cycle of a butterfly, says Valerie Engelbart, explaining in part why Hospital Sisters Health System Hospice has found releases of the delicate creatures to be comforting and popular events.
People in the early stages of grief are in something of a cocoon, like a caterpillar, trying to shield themselves from painful feelings while a loved one is transitioning from life to death, explains Engelbart, volunteer/bereavement services supervisor for HSHS Home Care, which includes HSHS Hospice. "It's a dark time," she notes.
Just as the caterpillar is building up for change, the grief-stricken are building up resilience and preparing for what's ahead, Engelbart says. And, like the way the caterpillar eventually emerges from the cocoon and transforms into a butterfly, she says mourners can emerge from grief and learn to cope with their loss and the change in their lives.
"But we must come through the experience to be healed," she says. "If rushed, we may not be prepared. Butterflies represent change, and in this butterfly release, it is a symbol of our personal changes through grief."
In addition, Engelbart says, the release of butterflies represents "the transformation of the spirit as our loved ones transition from this life."
Grief support
HSHS Home Care, which serves 37 counties in Illinois, holds annual butterfly releases at all nine HSHS Illinois locations: Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O'Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield.
Its first release was in 2016 at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. Members of the hospice team, including Shawna O'Dell, who now is HSHS vice president of care management and post-acute care, joined administrators at St. Anthony's and spiritual care team members in planning the inaugural release.
Over the years, the butterfly releases have evolved from events for the loved ones of hospice patients who have died into memorial services to support and honor anyone in the communities that HSHS serves.
"We made this a public event because, so many times taking care of patients in hospice at homes, we get to know them and their families," Engelbart says. "This (event) gives a great deal of support to those grieving."
HSHS Hospice sends invitations to the releases to loved ones of any patient who died in the last 18 months. To invite the public, the events are publicized on the HSHS Home Care & Hospice Facebook page. Releases generally occur between Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Putting a message in flight
When preparing to release the butterflies, the hospice team presents a reading and then encourages participants to think of their loved one, whisper a message of love, and envision the butterflies carrying that message on.
Karla Marshall, HSHS Central Illinois Market supervisor of mission integration and spiritual care, says the butterflies remind people of their loved one and give them an opportunity to touch their loved one, one more time.
She notes that each butterfly responds differently when released. "Some butterflies take off quickly, ready to go out and spread their wings. We might feel joy as we see them flying high and free. Sometimes they linger, which provides us with a longer time to hold them and talk with them," Marshall says. "Whether our butterfly flies high or lingers around, it is a reminder, our loved one is always there."
HSHS Hospice releases about 400 butterflies annually. HSHS orders the insects from Swallowtail Farms in California, where the butterflies are raised.
"Swallowtail Farms participates in studies about monarchs and swallowtails and looks to increase those populations, as they are pollinators," Engelbart says.
The company ships the butterflies in a cooler that keeps them in a hibernation-like state. The insects reach HSHS Hospice in individual small boxes, allowing participants to release their own butterfly.
"It was important that we found a company that understands their product, but also how it impacts the environment," Engelbart says.
She points out that the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis are part of the Franciscan order, which is committed to care of the environment.
She adds: "The butterflies continually bring healing, take care of our gardens — another symbol of your loved ones."