Journey of Hearts 

The information on the Walk to Remember comes from Natalie Borgardt, who organized two Walks in Santa Barbara, in memory of her daughter, Shannon Kay. This year instead of organizing a walk in a new town, we felt it would be better to put the information on the Internet, as a permanent resource for those who want to plan their own walks.

President Ronald Regan named October National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, to remember the 870,000 babies that die each year, throught miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, still birth, and newborn death. A Walk to Remember, held during October, honors those babies who have died thorough miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or newborn death.

Since 1988 many perinatal loss groups across the country have taken the opportunity during this beautiful fall month to pause, to remember, and to honor the precious babies whose short lives on this earth have touched the hearts and lives of their parents and families.

Many people throughout the nation are working individually and in small groups to raise awareness about perinatal grief and to ensure that sensitive care is given parents that experience a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or newborn death.

As an individual, it is sometimes difficult to feel you are "making a difference" due to feelings of isolation, limited resources, and lack of other interested people.

Now through the Walk to Remember, committed parents, their friends and families, and professionals can symbolically unite those who experienced a loss and those who care for them, and join a national network of thousands of others who take part in a Walk to Remember. The Walk is designed to raise public awareness to ensure families receive the sensitivity they deserve.

• Decide on walk date, course and measure off the distance.
• Notify other parents, parent support groups, relatives, friends, hospitals, churches, and neighbors of the walk.
• Create a web page for references of activities (or let us know and we'll post the information on this page).
• Order "Walk to Remember" sweatshirts, t-shirts and balloons from RTS Bereavement Services.
• Use the press release for media coverage and/or for handouts to churches, community groups, hospital staff, and funeral directors.
• Send information to newspaper, radio, and TV calendar of events (free service) at least 3 weeks in advance of the walk date.
• Contact church groups, bakeries, grocers, or hospitals to provide refreshments.
• Take pictures for future reference, web page photos, and media.
• Suggestions for ending walk:
• Release balloons
• Release butterflies
• Plant a tree
• Have walkers join hand and sing a song, share poems, thoughts
• Create a memorial service
• Read Kathie Rataj Mayo's poem "A Walk to Remember" (follows below)
• KEEP IT SIMPLE!
• The important thing is that YOU DO IT!!!

A Walk to Remember

I walk to remember
    the steps you'll never take.
I carry you with me
    as I firmly plant my feet.

Our trek started long ago,
    before my belly swelled.
You were a love that grew-
    like butterfly wings that beat.
Your gently flutters then became
    kicks upon which I would dwell.
And I would talk to you, sweet babe,
    about the world you soon would meet.

The sun always shone upon us then-
    when you were in my womb.
And I was eager to show you the world
    that would have been your home.
How you'd have loved the sun shining-
    blue skies without a cloud.
The autumn leaves turning-
    the snow falling all around.
The flowers in summer-
    would have filled your eyes with smiles.
And the rain that might have fallen
    would have caused you great surprise.

You would have traveled far with me-
    holding me by the hand,
And I'd have shown you all I could-
    more that I can imagine.

You hold my HEART tightly now,
    as though we're holding hands.
How far we've traveled, little one-
    and my life with you has been sweet.
For I carry you in my heart,
    as I firmly plant my feet.

 © Kathie Rataj Mayo

The Walk to Remember includes resources from several perinatal groups. The Bereavement Services/RTS are the group that has coordinated the Walk to Remember resources.
From the Bereavement Services/RTS brochure:

When family and friends Walk to Remember
they show how special it is to remember the babies they love.

• T-shirts (heather-gray) with the Leaf and Teardrop logo below in purple and the words Walk to Remember...it means to much to know that someone cares.
• Heat Press Decals - of the deep purple heat press decal. Allows for flexibility to create you own shirt, or items for the Walk to Remember
• Balloons - to carry the message of remembering. In White, Pink and Blue with a baby's footprints and the words "Walk to Remember."

Bereavement Services (RTS- Resolve Through Sharing)
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
1910 South Avenue La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: 608-791-4747 or 800-362-9567 Extension 4747
Fax: 608-791-5137
email: Berservs@lhl.gundluth.org
http://www.gundluth.org/bereave/

It is our hope that by creating another page for the Walk to Remember that people will be able to find the resources they need to organize this special healing walk. With time, we hope that Journey of Hearts will be able to provide a link for uniting those participating in the walk.

Grand Rapids, Michigan - 1st Saturday in October
For more information visit their website at:
http://www.iserv.net/iserv/users/llankfor.html

Pomona, CA - October 22, 1998

For more information visit their website at:
http://www.aecdesign.com/walk/walk.html

Ontario, Canada February 21, 1999

Walk to Remember - Annual indoor mall walk to celebrate the lives of those loved and lost.
For More information visit their website at:
http://www.inforamp.net/~bfo/index.html