TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Thursday, October 17th families will gather together at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. to celebrate the lives of their babies who are no longer with us at the 12th annual Walk to Remember.
The Walk to Remember event is held each year to observe National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. The Walk is dedicated to our local grieving families and to their departed children. It is attended by 200 people each year. All families and their friends in our community are welcome to participate at no cost. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is located at 1700 North Meridian Road.
Losing a baby is a traumatic experience. “Walk to Remember gives parents the opportunity to honor the babies they have lost,” says Kristy Goldwire, Executive Director of Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition. “At this event, families come together to share their stories and help one another cope with the pain of losing a baby.”
In 2012, there were 1,530 fetal deaths and 1,285 infant deaths in Florida. Leon County had 29 fetal deaths and 28 infant deaths that year. Both fetal and infant deaths increased in 2012.
Josh and Janie Register found out they were pregnant with their first born child in May of 2010. They were ecstatic to find out in August of 2010 they were having a son. On October 8, 2010, Janie went in for a routine OB appointment. It was during this appointment the doctor could not detect a heartbeat. Two days later at 1:10 a.m. Joshua David Register, Jr. was born, weighing 1 pound 5 ounces. He passed away on October 10, 2010. Each year, the family releases balloons for Joshua’s birthday. The Registers will be available at the event to share their story.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., family members are encouraged to write a message on a remembrance quilt square to honor their loved one. Food and beverages will be served during this time. Guests also have the opportunity to have their babies’ names read aloud during the memorial service held in the sanctuary. County Commissioner Nick Maddox will read the County’s proclamation. Grief counselors will be provided at the reception
At 7:30, a candlelit ceremony will take place as participants walk around Lake Ella paying tribute to our lost babies. Each family will receive a carnation once they have completed the walk. Bagpipes will play “Amazing Grace”. Performers include the Tallahassee Pipe Band and Voces Angelorum. Child care will be provided by the church in the nursery. The evening would not be possible without our sponsors: The Rotary Club of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation, and Tallahassee Memorial Women’s and Children’s Services.
“Although organized and sponsored by Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition (CAHSC), Walk to Remember is very much a community event - an opportunity for all of us to take time and honor the memories that families and friends hold dear of their beloved, lost during pregnancy or infancy,” explains Alisa Ghazvini, President of CAHSC. “It provides a way for us to support each other, to acknowledge the terrible impact of infant mortality, and to commit to bringing awareness of this issue and being part of the solution for our community.”
For additional information about Josh and Janie’s story, please contact Janie Register at 850-688-4145 or via email at janietucker@yahoo.com.
Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition (CAHSC) is a 501c3, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of infants and their families, and created to decrease the high rates of infant deaths in Florida.
