Hospital celebrates life with Walk to Remember

By David E. GillespieOctober 8, 2015

Hospital celebrates life with Walk to Remember
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Hospital celebrates life with Walk to Remember
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Hospital celebrates life with Walk to Remember
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – During Wednesday's Walk to Remember ceremony, Col. Telita Crosland, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital commander, offers heartfelt condolences to bereft parents and tells them the day is not only of remembrance, but a day to celebrate the precious l... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Hospital celebrates life with Walk to Remember
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Blanchfield Army Community Hospital's hosted its 9th annual Walk to Remember Ceremony Wednesday, honoring families and parents who gathered to reflect on children lost at birth, miscarriage or at a young age.

The event, hosted on the hospital's "A" Building parade field, was organized by BACH's chaplain and Bereavement Support Committee in support of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Month. The national observance provides an opportunity to increase understanding of the tragedy involved in the deaths of unborn and newborn babies. The annual "walk" seeks to promote education, support and awareness for bereaved parents and family members. BACH's Bereavement Support Committee extends the national remembrance to include bereavement of the loss of child at any age.

"Today's ceremony arose from a loss of a child," said Col. Telita Crosland, hospital commander and guest speaker at the ceremony. "For me, this ceremony is meant not just to remember and hopefully heal through celebration. It is also about humanity, as those of us who have not experienced the loss of a child take time out to demonstrate compassion, support and empathy."

At the event, Fort Campbell resident and Army spouse Julianna Merwin shared her story and the common bond between bereaved parents.

"To someone who has never had a loss, it's hard to describe the feelings you go through," Merwin explained. "It's nice to see the hospital and the community do something that allows families and parents to come together for a moment to remember -- to think about and cherish what could have been."

The ceremony is another step in a lifelong healing process, Merwin said. At the time of her loss, she was not aware of bereavement support groups and felt isolated in her experience.

"They say this happens with one in four pregnancies, but growing up, I never knew anyone who had a loss. When it happened to me, I eventually learned other people I knew had similar experiences. It makes you ask why no one ever talks about it; why this is so taboo. If you've had a pregnancy and had a loss, you should be able to grieve that loss," Merwin said.

The ceremony culminated in a balloon release in honor of the children, followed by a walk around the hospital's Joel Drive wellness track as a celebration for their lives. The tradition of releasing balloons began as a physical symbol of releasing grief, but grew to include attached messages and notes of remembrance.

"We have five angels watching down over us. I've had five losses, so I wrote a message for each. Some messages were prayers to those angels; some were thoughts on them -- just sharing different thoughts from my heart," Merwin said.

Merwin's 7-year-old daughter released one balloon for what would have been her twin sister. "As we walked, she asked 'Do you think my sister is going to get that in heaven?' It kind of gets to you," Merwin said.

To anyone experiencing a loss at birth, miscarriage or a young age, Merwin offered words of encouragement.

"Keep your head up. I've had losses and gone to that deep dark scary place. It does get easier in time. Find those good friends and hold on tight. Reach out when you need help. There are plenty of programs and resources to help, especially through the Army."

Clarksville resident and Army spouse Caterina Snider echoed Merwin's remarks. "For those who are going through this experience, I would definitely suggest to reach out," Snider said.

"There are lots of organizations that help with situations like these and help with grief. There are support groups, online support, and supportive events like this in the community. Reach out. Don't isolate yourself because it is isolating."

Walk to Remember 2015

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