Madison’s Miracles Walk & 5K Run on October 17 Remembers Babies Gone Too Soon
Stuart, Fla. – The loss of an infant is an unthinkable tragedy – a baby gone all too soon. To honor the memory of babies whose lives were cut short and support the families who love them, Madison’s Miracles, a program of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, is hosting its Remembrance Walk & 5K Run on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Stuart.
This is the tenth anniversary of the Madison’s Miracles event, named after Baby Madison, who had no heartbeat at birth. Her story, both heartbreaking and heartwarming, is told on the Healthy Start Coalition website, www.mchealthystart.org.
“Martin County Healthy Start Coalition is dedicated to supporting families in the joys of childbearing, and we are honored to also be their resource in heartbreaking moments of loss,” explained CEO Samantha Suffich. “It is especially appropriate that we hold this event during October, which is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.”
The Healthy Start staff works with families in Martin and Okeechobee counties who are faced with the tragic circumstance of a baby’s death. They provide grief counseling and hospital memory boxes and assist with funeral expenses if needed.
The Walk and Run start and finish at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Stuart. Check-in begins at 6:30 a.m., with the 5K Race beginning at 7:30 a.m. and the Remembrance Walk at 7:40 a.m. There is also a virtual option for those who want to honor babies and their families but are not able to participate in the event in person. Participants are welcome to stay after the run and walk for music, food, and fun in the park.
Sponsorship opportunities and registration for runners and walkers are still available. To sign up as a participant or to show your support for the work of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and its Madison’s Miracles program, contact Anastasia Anderson at aanderson@mchealthystart.org or visit www.mchealthystart.org.
About Martin County Healthy Start Coalition
Martin County Healthy Start is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every baby is born healthy. It provides educational and health services to pregnant women, new mothers and their families at no cost, particularly expectant mothers who are at risk for late or no prenatal care.
Part of a statewide coalition, Healthy Start connects pregnant women and young mothers with essential services including prenatal care, home visitations by a nurse or social worker, breastfeeding support, parenting education, car seat and sleeping safety, a free diaper pantry, and access to other community partner agencies. The David Cardno Fatherhood Initiative, also part of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, helps fathers to become more involved in parenting and offers legal assistance to fathers who are separated from their children.
The programs of Martin County Healthy Start Coalition are voluntary and available to all Florida residents at no cost.
For more information about Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and its ongoing programs, visit www.mchealthystart.org, call 772-463-2888 or follow the organization on Facebook.