University Hospitals to host Remembrance Walk for families who have experienced the loss of a child

Who: July is Bereaved Parents Month. To recognize this, parent bereavement programs at University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s and Rainbow Babies & Children’s hospitals, along with the Auxiliary of University Hospitals, are hosting a Remembrance Walk for parents, family members, friends, and UH staff members to come together to remember a precious baby or child who has died.

When: Saturday, July 22 8 – 9 a.m. Registration and legacy building activities 8:45 a.m. Opening remarks and reading of remembrance names 9:15 a.m. One mile walk begins

Where: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland)

Why: Losing a child can be extremely traumatic and the grieving process can be overwhelming – especially without an outlet for expressing and talking through your grief. University Hospitals is working to build a safe community for people who have endured the death of a baby or child by providing support and resources for grieving parents and families. The UH team takes a patient- and family-centered approach to grief support. UH provides personalized resources and recommendations for every family, because grief is a personal experience tailored to families’ unique needs. UH stays connected with families, continuing to provide services and support as needed in the weeks, months and years following a loss.

The UH program is supported through a generous gift from the Adler family, which created the UH Joanie and Tom Adler Endowed Director of Parent Bereavement Programs.

About the walk: Legacy building activities will include opportunities to make a fabric square in memory of a child to be included on the 2023 Remembrance Quilt and a scrapbook page for the annual scrapbook which is kept in the Family Resource Library in the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Library. All materials will be provided at the event. There is no cost to attend. Registration includes a wristband for each individual attending, which provides all day admission to the Zoo and Rainforest after the walk. Wristbands will be distributed at the Zoo’s Ticket Center. Remembrance walk participants will have access to the Palava Hut from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. that day. To register, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlczuw4NU3lo9CBvHR987wz4Zpug9omH2plRaa1ibAssxFdw/viewform?pli=1

Questions? Email Allison Remy, MSSA, LISW, The Joanie and Tom Adler Endowed Director of Parent Bereavement Programs:Allison.Remy@UHhospitals.org or call 216-844-8254.

Event sponsors include The Auxiliary of UH, Nalette & Associates, Inc., Connie & Sheldon Edelman, Tom & Joan Atkian, The Joni H. & Steven L. Wasserman (z”l) Fund for the Future, and Cement Masons Local 404.