The first Regional Conference on Loss and Grief has opened with a large turnout of healthcare professionals.

The mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolón; the councilor for Public Health, Rosa Cañón; the managing director of the Torrevieja Health Department and the Torrevieja University Hospital, José Cano; the specialist in Personal Accompaniment, Mireya Rosique; and the physiotherapist specializing in brain damage, Ángel Vaquero Mercader, inaugurated this morning the 1st Regional Conference on Loss and Grief at the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Center, with a large attendance of health professionals from different health departments.

Organized by the Department of Public Health, the conference takes place on November 5th and 6th with the participation of professionals from different disciplines to share experiences and offer tools to improve care and support for people and their families in the face of loss.

The event features the participation of the Torrevieja Health Department and Crisálida, as well as the collaboration of AGAMED. Its program combines presentations, workshops, and personal accounts with proposals open to the public, addressing both the needs of those going through the grieving process and the experiences of the professionals who care for them.

GRIEF IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING AND PALLIATIVE CARE ARE THE FOCUS OF THE FIRST DAY

Today's program, Thursday, November 5th, included, at 9:00 a.m., the opening presentation "Death and Grief in Our Society: Learning to Let Go," by Mireia Roqué, followed by the panel discussion "Grief and Healthcare Professionals." This session addressed how healthcare staff experience patients' grief, their relationship with the hospital environment, active and empathetic listening, and support during organ donation processes.

At 12:30 pm, Valentín Rodil is scheduled to speak, with a presentation titled "The Knots of Grief." The morning session concludes at 2:00 pm with a panel discussion featuring Amparo Cos Boj and Inmaculada Gemma Ortigosa Huerta, who will share their personal experiences of loss.

This afternoon's program begins at 4:30 p.m. with a panel discussion on palliative care for adults and children. Topics will include providing support from an intercultural perspective, assisting families facing uncertainty, the emotional experience of healthcare professionals, and home care when a cure is not possible.

THE ART OF SUPPORT AND PERINATAL GRIEF TAKE CENTER STAGE IN TOMORROW'S SESSION

Tomorrow, Friday, November 6, the event will begin at 8:45 a.m. with the panel discussion "The Art of Accompanying," moderated by Conchi Vaquero Mercader, Gestalt therapist and coordinator of the conference. The presentations will address the transition from pain to love, spiritual accompaniment in the dying process, the relationship between attachment, grief, and the body, and end-of-life care.

At 11:10 a.m., Arnaldo Pangrazzi will give a presentation entitled "Emotions in Grief and Paths to Healing." Following this, at 1:10 p.m., Lorena Hernández Pallarés will discuss storytelling therapy and the contribution of stories to the processes of loss and grief.

The afternoon session will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the panel "Perinatal and Gestational Grief," which will include the presentations "When Life Hurts Before It Even Begins: Caring in Perinatal Grief" and "The First, Only, and Eternal Photograph." This segment will focus on supporting individuals and families facing loss during pregnancy or around the time of birth.

FREE GRIEF CONSULTATION AND ACTIVITIES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

During the two days, the entrance of the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Center hosts the Grief Caravan, a mobile listening unit that offers a free consultation open to the public, linked to the accompaniment work of Valentín Rodil.

The program also includes the exhibitions "Modeling Grief," by Conchi Vaquero Mercader, and "The First, Unique and Eternal Photograph," by Rocío Loino, which allow visitors to approach different ways of expressing and understanding loss through art and image.

As a final activity, tomorrow, Friday, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., the gong bath "The Whisper of Silence" will be held, open to the public. For more information about the event, those interested can contact jornadasduelo_torrevieja@gva.es . The organizers have requested accreditation for the activity from the Continuing Education Commission for Healthcare Professionals.