"5 Cups of Coffee"

My husband John and our 8 year- old daughter Cali and I have been coming to the island for 4 years staying in the Cushmans red house. It's a healing and Inspiring place for us, especially for me.

I run an organization that builds programs to ease the suffering of dying children throughout the world called Children's Palliative Care Community.
My work is very unique and requires that I have a place to come and renew my spirit, Chebeague has become my "soul spot."

Inspired by the island's sense of community and and a story about your love and caring support of a hospice patient, I even started writing a book here last year. It's about how dying children bring together communities of people and leave behind valuable life lessons. I now have 6 stories and a publishing contract and I am looking for more stories! You can read excerpts from the book on our website www.childpallcare.org.

I am going to be in Haiti for 10 days in the fall to begin building a pediatric palliative care program there. We hope to make it a pilot project to be replicated in other countries like India and Pakistan. I call it my "5 cups of coffee" project. I don't like tea like Greg Mortenson, evidenced by my daily trips to the island market and the Niblic for coffee.

It's not easy to find people who will listen to me when I say what I do. My work can be a real "downer" at a cocktail party, but here on the island there is a valuing of authenticity that is unique and a great source of comfort. People have welcomed me and given me a place to be myself and speak openly about it. I am most grateful to those of you who don't walk away despite how uncomfortable you might feel. The island of Chebeague and the people here, help me to continue to do what I do.

If anyone wants to learn more about me and my work here is a utube video link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h31iq9j0vxE&feature=youtube_gdata
I am always looking for board members, volunteers or anyone willing to talk to me about a child's right to live until they die.

We as a family love the island and will be property owners when it's "our time." This is a sacred place for us and you can bet I will continue to come here to write and renew after my challenging adventures. I gratefully welcome the opportunity to share a cup of coffee (or an occasional "cold one") with any of you...

Katie

Katie Eastman, Psy.D,LCSW CEO, Children's Palliative Care Community
P.O. Box 66
Cumberland, Maine 04021
(207) 749-1392
Www.childpallcare.org
"Gratitude is the heart's memory."
Baha'u'llah