Atlanta Walk to Remember

left an everlasting impact on our hearts.

The Atlanta Walk to Remember was started

in 2005 by parent volunteers.

The mission of the Atlanta Walk to Remember:

to connect parents, to express grief for perinatal

and infant loss in a visible and active way,

with support of family and friends.

3rd Annual Atlanta Walk to Remember
Pathway to Healing and Awareness

A tearful woman states, “Since our daughter died, no one seems to understand how I feel.” Her baby was stillborn at 26 weeks several months earlier, and she felt that her friends and co-workers, while very caring and supportive at first, don’t seem to realize that she is still grieving. They expect her to “be better by now.”

A couple announces that they are pregnant. Their family is ecstatic. Their friends who are also expecting welcome them into the pregnancy “club” where conversations are of baby showers and childbirth classes. The couple feels grateful to be pregnant, but their feelings of joy and anticipation are shadowed by thoughts of fear and anxiety. This isn’t their first pregnancy, and they wonder if anyone else remembers the loss of their first baby at 8 weeks into the pregnancy and the loss of their second baby at 16 weeks. How do they keep alive the memories of those children while going on with their lives?

A man displays a picture of his two-year old grandson on his desk at work. A customer remarks, “What an adorable little boy! Is he your only grandchild?” His thoughts drift to his tiny granddaughter who is in Heaven. Should he mention her and risk making the customer feel uncomfortable? Are their others who face this type of dilemma?

Those who have suffered the loss of a baby often wonder how to cope with the pain, how to move forward yet remember the baby who has died, and how to make others aware of the impact of this frequent yet often minimized kind of heartbreak. They may also question their ability to cope with all the emotions and changes that commonly accompany grief and loss as they search for the strength to deal with what has happened.

Sometimes people think that crying and feeling sad are signs of weakness. On the contrary, they are actually healthy and normal ways to express grief. Courage and strength are not defined as the absence of fear or the avoidance of pain. Instead, having courage and strength means going on in spite of fear and pain. As difficult as it is to face the pain and to work through the grief, it is both important and necessary.

The Atlanta Walk to Remember provides families an opportunity to deal with their grief, to remember their babies, and to create positive memories. Almost 250 people attended this year’s event that took place on October 14, and we recognize the emotional courage and strength it takes to publically acknowledge grief.

In 2005, Tara Spolan, Megan Unger, and Michelle Epstein created this annual event with a mission “to connect parents to express grief for perinatal and infant loss in a visible and active way with the support of family and friends.” Since that time, the Walk has facilitated healing where there was emptiness; fellowship where there was isolation. Each year, with every step that we take, we not only pay tribute to those children whose lives were all too short, but we also raise community awareness of the tragedy of perinatal loss. As this year’s co-chairs, Tara and Megan continued to pave the way for our Walk, and we thank them for their tireless dedication, hard work, and passion.

This year’s event began with families gathering for a ceremony that featured Eva Galambos (Mayor of Sandy Springs) presenting a proclamation that October 2007 was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month for the city of Sandy Springs as well as songs, poems, and stories that paid tribute to the babies. Next, there was a walk through the concourse (about 15-20 minutes) followed by a balloon release. Families had an opportunity to attach messages written for their babies to the balloons. A silent auction as well as t-shirt and car magnet sales also took place, and refreshments were available.
The Atlanta Walk to Remember committee is grateful to those individuals and companies who have sponsored our event. Donations of money and supplies as well as proceeds from the silent auction and t-shirt sales help to ensure that the event will continue to be offered free of charge to participants.

Butterfly Society ($250 and above):
 Northside Hospital (Presenting Sponsor)
 Cousin’s Properties and Concourse Corporate Center
 Morrison’s Cafeteria (Northside Hospital Food Services Company)

Ribbon Society (under $250):
 Archivers
 Atlanta Flower Market
 Cookies by Design
 Costco Perimeter
 Facelogic Spa
 Fresh! Catering
 Fresh Market
 Diana Gardner-Williams
 Greencraft
 Kroger Cooking School, Alpharetta
 Icon Salon
 Tonya Maiseroulle
 Fran Memberg, The Atlanta Jewish Times
 Gary & Myla Lind, Waffle House
 Merle Norman Cosmetics
 Mikael’s Auto Wash
 Betty Miller, Heritage Makers (www.mystorybooklady.com)
 Sandy Rogers
 MOMS Club, Cumming SE
 Party City, Sandy Springs
 A Royal Affair Café
 Star 94
 Robert & Helen Smith
 Spolan Family
 Trusted Hands Day Spa
 Elaine & Tom Warren
 Warren Family
 WSB-TV

Special thanks to:
 Marc & Aimee Alexander
 Greg Boyd, Northside Hospital Call Center
 Sheri Buckley, volunteer
 Chef Christopher and Steve Gee, Morrison’s Cafeteria
 Barbara Douglass, Northside Hospital Perinatal Loss Office
 Jessica Elzey, ceremony singer
 Alan & Michelle Epstein, volunteers
 Mayor Eva Galambos, City of Sandy Springs
 Tammi Milinskey
 Pat Montgomery, host of Parents Rule! (Radio Sandy Springs)
 Leslie Rowan, ceremony participant
 Warren Safter, photographer
 Lindsay Sifen, volunteer
 Melanie Sifen, volunteer
 Jahkhaya Roberts, volunteer
 Sandy Smith, ceremony participant
 Keith Spolan, volunteer
 Tara Spolan, Co-Chair, Atlanta Walk to Remember
 Mark Thompson, Turning Point Promotions (www.turningpointideas.com)
 Josh Unger, volunteer
 Megan Unger, Co-Chair, Atlanta Walk to Remember
 Unger Family
 Elaine Warren, dedicated volunteer and ceremony participant
 Katherine Watson, Northside Hospital Marketing Dept

2007 Atlanta Walk to Remember

DONATION INFORMATION

Gracious donations ensure this event remains free of charge in the future. Donations can be made several ways and are accepted throughout the year:

Credit card, cash, and check donations can be made before, during, and after the Walk.
Checks made payable to NSH Foundation (please write "Walk to Remember Fund" in the memo section) can be mailed to: PNL Office, 1000 Johnson Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30342.
You can support our Walk by purchasing a t-shirt or participating in the silent auction during the Walk.
If you want to make a credit card donation before or after the Walk, please contact the call center at (404) 303-3674.
In-kind contributions are welcomed and appreciated! Please contact us at keelismom@yahoo.com or (770) 442-8995 to make arrangements.

Information for individuals and companies that make donations:

Information about the Atlanta Walk to Remember has been featured in these places:

Caring & Coping --The Northside Hospital Perinatal Loss newsletter that reaches over 1,800 families
Northside Hospital website: http://www.northside.com/classes_events/main.aspx
WSB TV Channel 2's online Community Calendar
Atlanta Jewish Times
Radio Sandy Springs AM 1620
CBS 46 News website calendar
Our Little Net website: http://midtownatlantaga.ourlittle.net/2ndWalkToRemember

Sponsors of the Walk will be recognized in the following ways:

Butterfly Society--$250 and above: Company or individual name will appear in the Walk to Remember program, in the Caring & Coping newsletter, and on this website.

Ribbon Society--up to $249: Company or individual name will appear in the Walk to Remember program

Atlanta Perinatal Loss