FORT IRWIN, Calif.  — October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. During this time, thousands of parents, their friends and families, health professionals, military personnel, clergy, and others across the United States will be participating in the “Remembrance Walk.”

This walk is dedicated to all the babies who die each year through pregnancy loss or newborn death. The walk also symbolically joins all the people nationwide who are working to raise awareness of perinatal grief and to ensure that parents who experience the death of a baby receive sensitive care no matter how long ago the loss.

The first “Remembrance Walk” was held Sept. 26, 1986, at the 5th National Perinatal Bereavement Conference in Chicago. Now, during October, the Walk continues in communities throughout the United States.

This year WEED Army Community Hospital, through the Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care, is hosting a Walk to Remember on Oct. 12. The walk starts and ends at the Mary Walk Center. Participants are asked to arrive at 8 a.m.  Following the walk, there will be a Remembrance and Baby Naming Ceremony with a balloon release and fellowship, with refreshments to conclude the ceremony. Everyone is invited to attend.

Those of you who have never had a chance to publicly name their baby will have the opportunity during the Ceremony. Those interested are asked to email isismnieves@gmail.com or call Cpt. Isis Rosario at 813-454-8525 or Deb O’Donnell at 254-319-4870. Participants will receive a separate Certificate of Life for each child at the ceremony.

Pastoral and Bereavement Care will be available through the Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care led by Chaplain (Maj.) Kurt O’Donnell, kurt.a.odonnell.mil@mail.mil at 760-799-7954. All will be remembered, none will be forgotten.