A local walk next month will give families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss a chance to grieve together in a supportive space.
Hosted by volunteers from the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network, “A Walk to Remember” takes place Sunday, June 1, at Canatara Park in Sarnia. Organized in collaboration with The Valeria Fund, the event is open to families, friends, and community members who wish to honour babies lost during pregnancy or infancy.
Walkers will gather at the Children’s Playground Pavilion between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with the 3–5 km walk beginning at 10:30 a.m. A short informal gathering will follow.
The Valeria Fund was established by Lo-Anne Chan in memory of her daughter, Araminta Valeria Chan, who was born on April 16, 2023, and died shortly after birth due to a genetic condition.
“Having started the grieving process in the second half of pregnancy, we were overwhelmed with medical appointments filled with unknowns,” Chan said. “The one thing that helped keep our heads above the water was the constant theme of comfort and care exhibited by all the medical professionals that we met.”
Chan created The Valeria Fund to support others facing similar experiences. Through local partnerships and advocacy, the fund helps ensure that grieving families are not alone. It also raises money for Bluewater Health’s Maternal Infant Care Unit, supplying comfort kits and other supports.
PAIL Network offers free, peer-led support groups and individual services across Ontario. Volunteers—many of whom have experienced loss themselves—help families access resources without barriers, including multilingual interpretation on request. There is no time limit to access services, and support is available at any point in a family’s grieving process.
Event participants will receive a commemorative flag and stickers to personalize with the name(s) of the baby or babies they are walking in memory of. Registration is open at: https://sunnybrook.formstack.com/forms/walktoremember2025.
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