with children who have lost loved ones to AIDS.

And the public will also gain some insight on this and other AIDS-related issues at a separate forum at St. Paul's AME Centennial Hall next Tuesday.

Some 50 school counsellors, health care workers, ministers, and others will gather on Monday for a one-day seminar with visiting international authors and lecturers Dr. Gerald Jampolsky and, his wife, Ms Diane Cirincione.

The seminar will be held at the Elbow Beach Hotel from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Both Dr. Jampolsky and his wife have years of experience in helping children and adults cope with life-threatening illnesses.

They also co-founded the AIDS Hotline for Kids, based in California.

East End primary schools counsellor Ms Marianne Penner yesterday said after reading some of Dr. Jampolsky's books about the terminally ill, she "took a chance'' and called the doctor who normally charges $10,000 for three-day lectures.

Information about the AIDS situation in Bermuda was also sent to Dr.

Jampolsky.

"He said he would come for free,'' said Ms Penner who said the visiting couple's transport and accommodation would be covered by Sandys Rotarian's AIDS Education Fund.

The fund was created last year to encourage and assist Bermudians to understand AIDS/HIV; to promote distribution of information on the disease; and to give financial assistance to help the dissemination of such information.

The fund -- a brain-child of Sandys Rotary member and Methodist minister the Rev. David Chisling -- was established after Sandys Rotary held its major fund raising drive for the year, a World AIDS Day gala opera on December 1 at St.

John's Church in Pembroke.

Sandys Rotary president Mr. John Cooper said some $15,000 was raised from the benefit called "A Classical Response to AIDS''. And he said the club had no intention of just sitting on those funds.

He said Rotarians all over the world were focussing on the AIDS issue, and the local group was doing its part.

Warwick Academy counsellor Miss Nancy Mattola and West End schools' counsellor Mrs. Marilynn Smith both said they look forward to Monday's seminar and eventually expect local strategies and support groups to come out of it.

With more children losing their parents to AIDS, they said the seminar could not be more timely.

"We have the responsibility to be facilitators,'' Mrs. Smith said. "But we cannot do it alone. AIDS affects us all. We have to work together. And it's always important to receive the community's support.'' Mrs. Smith also encouraged everyone to attend Tuesday's public forum which begins at 7.30 p.m.

"There's still a stigma attached to AIDS,'' she said. "Hopefully this would help people to cope and eliminate some of the fears and anxieties associated with the disease.'' Ms Penner noted that Dr. Jampolsky, in one of his books, concluded that many people with AIDS were dying of depression rather than the physical ailments brought on by the disease.

She said Dr. Jampolsky, who has a philosophy of "change your mind, change your life'', will be prepared to address local concerns about the disease that transcends every sector of the community.

Dr. Gerald Jampolsky and Ms Diane Cirincione.