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LAKEWOOD, NY (WNY News Now) – The Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care center held their annual memorial butterfly release over the weekend, remembering all in their care.
The annual remembrance sees hundreds of butterflies released by families and friends of loved ones to honor their lives.
Every June for more than a decade the center has held the service of remembrance.
Organizer of the event Jamie Probst, tells us why butterflies are so significant.
“In many cultures, butterflies are seen as a symbol of transformation,“ explained Probst. “And working in end of life care, oftentimes , we’re taking care of people who are terminally ill. and we use the butterfly as a reference or kind of way of looking at we’re transforming from one form of life, one form of being in the world to something else. And in the same way, grief isn’t about learning how to live without people, it’s about recognizing their presence in our life has transformed into looking like something very different.”
He went on to say that this ceremony sees a lot of foot traffic having loads of butterflies set free each year.
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