An upcoming public event honoring those that have experienced the loss of a baby has been set for Sunday, Oct. 5.
The event, A Walk to Remember, will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve, Black Bear Den Auditorium, 4815 North Lynndale Drive, Appleton. Registration is 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
A Walk to Remember, held with support from the ThedaCare Resolve Through Sharing bereavement program, is part of area observations surrounding National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The event is also made possible with support from the ThedaCare Family of Foundations.
“We’re holding this event for everyone in the community,” said Ashley Ebert, Registered Nurse at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and Resolve Through Sharing Bereavement Coordinator. “It’s centered around patients and families that have experienced infant loss, whether that’s through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or neonatal death. Our hope is that this event will serve as a reminder that we continue to give these families the outreach, support and care they need and deserve.”
The highlight of A Walk to Remember is a short walk to a tree-planting ceremony. Music and a brief meditation are also planned.
“Each participating family will be invited to help plant a tree in memory of their baby,” Ebert said. “The tree serves as a long-term memorial to their baby, a comforting place they can return to any time.”
The event also provides an opportunity for families to connect with others that have a similar experience with infant loss, Ebert said.
“We’re putting on this event because we want to show our patients, their families and others in the community that have experienced infant loss, that we’re still here for you,” she said. “We know what you’ve gone though and we want to acknowledge that yearly.
“We also want to make discussing this experience a lot easier for families because there are a lot of people out there that suffer in silence over the pain of losing an infant,” Ebert continued. “There is support for them. This program is an example of that support.”
Bereavement coordinators and a chaplain will be available at the event to anyone with questions or for those seeking additional support.
For more information about the event, please visit Facebook Events, A Walk to Remember.
