The 23rd annual Walk to Remember will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at the Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton. October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Part of the ThedaCare Resolve Through Sharing bereavement program, the Walk to Remember event offers families who have suffered the loss of an infant through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or neonatal death an opportunity to honor and remember their baby.
“Our hope is that this event provides the families with a time to memorialize their babies, and an opportunity to connect with others who have had a similar experience,” said Ashley Ebert, RN, BSN, a Family Birth nurse at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and Resolve Through Sharing Bereavement Coordinator. “We know that sharing a similar experience is helpful for those who are grieving and can create a bond among the women and families.”
The event, which has been hosted for more than two decades, offers families a place to connect.
“We see a wide variety of attendees each year,” explained Ebert. “Some have lost their babies years ago, and others as little as a few weeks or months. This event shows that people continue to remember and honor their babies no matter how long ago the loss may have been.”
Remembering Their Babies
For Elyse Lloyd and her husband, Mike, and their children, the event is a way to remember the two babies they lost through miscarriage.
“Miscarriage is so common, but that loss isn’t talked about often enough,” Lloyd noted.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage.
“With my first miscarriage, no one knew I was pregnant so I didn’t have to tell anyone I was no longer pregnant,” Lloyd said. “We just kind of swept it under the rug. I think there are many more stories like that. People would be surprised to know the number of moms and couples who have experienced a miscarriage.”
She hopes that the more people talk about their loss, the more others will become comfortable sharing their story.
“Sometimes people don’t want to mention their losses because they’re afraid it’ll make others sad or uncomfortable,” she said. “This event lets people know it’s okay to talk about everything. Those babies are always a part of us.”
During the event, families are invited to take part in a short walk in the Nature Center to plant trees in memory of all the infants.
“I love the tree planting idea,” said Lloyd. “It gives moms and their families a place to go when they want to celebrate or remember. There comes a time – I’m far enough away from my losses now – that you want to celebrate those lives, and this event is a special way to do that.”
The 23rd annual Walk to Remember will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at the Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton. Part of the ThedaCare Resolve Through Sharing bereavement program, the Walk to Remember event offers families who have suffered the loss of an infant through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or neonatal death an opportunity to honor and remember their baby. During the event, families are invited to take part in a short walk in the Nature Center to plant trees in memory of all the infants.
Event Open to all Families
The event is open to anyone who wishes to support the families, including siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors.
Registration will begin at 10:00 am in the Black Bear Den Auditorium of the Bubolz Nature Preserve, located at 4815 North Lynndale Drive, Appleton. The Walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately 12:30 p.m. Ebert noted that those who have physical limitations are welcome to remain in the Auditorium or just participate in a short walk to the tree-planting ceremony.
Bereavement coordinators and a chaplain will be available to anyone who has questions or is looking for additional support.
“All of ThedaCare’s support group opportunities will be available for people who may need help,” said Ebert. “We hope these families can use this day each year to remember their babies, and know they are supported by others around them.”
For more information about the Walk to Remember event, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/544801937995044.
