The New Lakeland Facility

Celebrating the 30th year of our Bethany center! 

Lakeland Expansion Project

Through the spirit of Beth Traviesa, the leadership teams of Chapters Health System and Good Shepherd Hospice are committed to expanding services provided by the Bethany Center for Grieving Children. Establishing a bereavement location in the Center’s hometown will provide much-needed support for more children and families in Polk County and the surrounding communities,” explains Kyle Zenkner, Executive Director for Good Shepherd Hospice.

“The undeniable and insurmountable loss experienced by so many over the past year has been like no other, creating an even greater need for hope and healing. In a typical year, pre-Covid, the Bethany Center served nearly 7,000 children from hospice and community families, nearly a third of whom reside in Lakeland.”

Designed by Furr, Wegman & Banks Architects, this 1,500 square foot expansion of Good Shepherd Hospice’s Resource Center on Lakeland Hills Boulevard will boast a playroom with an interactive sandbox, game room with a state-of-the-art gaming floor, grief cave, and expressive arts studio. Rodda Construction will build the facility, with an estimated cost of $400,000. One year of operation is estimated to be $150,000, and bereavement services are not funded by insurance or other providers.

In addition to individual and family grief support, the Bethany Center team provides Camp Brave Heart, a weekend camp for children, ages 6 to 16, who have recently lost a loved one. The experience combines healing with fun, letting children know that life still has a lot to offer and that they are not alone in their experience.