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Blue Shield of California Recognized by National Bereaved Parent, Sibling Organization Blue Shield of California has been awarded the 2006 Compassionate Employer Recognition Award by the national non-profit group The Compassionate Friends, the world's largest self-help bereavement organization. The award recognizes Blue Shield for its empathetic attitude and work assignment flexibility regarding a longtime employee, Susan Stephenson. Blue Shield was nominated for the award by Stephenson, whose daughter, Jessyca, died last March from complications related to lymphoma after a yearlong battle with the disease. Jessyca, 19, was also an employee of Blue Shield at its El Dorado Hills office. Stephenson nominated Blue Shield for going beyond the normal policies of most companies in providing help after Jessyca's death. "I have never experienced the level of giving and caring Blue Shield provided," said Stephenson. "They handled all phone inquiries out of respect and concern for our family. They expedited Jessyca's life insurance and worked with the funeral home to help make all the arrangements for her funeral." Stephenson's fellow team members at Blue Shield donated their vacation time so she would have time off to cope. They also collected money to purchase Jessyca's headstone and sent donations to the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the UC Davis Cancer Center. These contributions were matched 2-to-1 as part of Blue Shield's employee matching gift program. The Compassionate Friends, with 600 chapters serving all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, provides friendship, understanding and hope to families that have experienced the death of a child. Background
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