Baby Steps - Mend a Heart Memorial Campaign

Event Overview

We are excited to announce that we will continue the legacy of the Baby Steps Memorial Run but in a different way. We understand the importance of this event to so many families. While we don't have the capacity to continue an in-person event, we want to continue supporting your families in this annual memorial.

Let us introduce you to the Baby Steps - Mend a Heart Memorial Campaign 2026!!!

Campaign Purpose

For 17 years, the Baby Steps Memorial Run brought families and our community together to remember the friends and loved ones we have lost while raising funds to support grieving families through The Amelia Center at Children’s of Alabama.

Although there will be no in-person race in 2026, the heart of Baby Steps continues.

This year, we are taking our next steps through the Mend a Heart Memorial—a special fundraising campaign created to continue honoring those we love while helping provide support and grief counseling to families walking through loss.

Registration Details

$25 Registration Includes:

• Memorial T-shirt: Featuring the names submitted in memory of loved ones
• Memorial Bracelet: Baby Steps memorial bracelet
• Facebook Access: Access to our Baby Steps Facebook page, where we will share information about The Amelia Center, grief resources, and ways to support families experiencing loss
• Memorial Video: A memorial video at the conclusion of the campaign featuring all submitted names

Memorial Name Submission

Your registration allows you to submit the name of a loved one to be included on the back of all memorial shirts.

Memorial names and T-shirt orders must be submitted by October 30, 2026. (This date is subject to change depending on our printer)

We encourage you to share this opportunity with family and friends. The more people who participate, the more names we can honor and the greater impact we can make together.

Shirt Pickup Information

This is a PICKUP-ONLY fundraiser. We are unable to ship shirts.

Shirt/packet pickup will take place in November 2026 at The Amelia Center. Exact pickup date and time will be announced as soon as shirt production is finalized.

fundraising Opportunities

You can also create a fundraiser in memory of your loved one and invite friends, family, and your community to donate. Sometimes people are looking for a way to honor your loved one and support you in your grief. This is the perfect opportunity.

These donations are separate from the $25 shirt registration and will help us maximize the amount we are able to give toward supporting grieving families through The Amelia Center.

We may also recognize the top fundraiser with a special prize!

Create Your Own Race

There won't be an organized race this year—but that doesn't mean you can't still take the Baby Steps journey.

If you want to continue the walk/run experience, create your own virtual race! Walk around your neighborhood, visit a favorite park, gather your family and friends, or simply take a few meaningful steps in memory of someone you love.

There is no official course, no required distance, and no time to beat.

Just take a few steps. Remember a life. Honor a memory. Support a family.

Mission Continuation

The Baby Steps Memorial Run has always been about more than a race. It has been about remembering lives that will never be forgotten and walking alongside families who are learning to live with loss.

The Mend a Heart Memorial allows us to continue that mission in a way that is simpler, but still deeply meaningful.

Your participation helps us continue the Baby Steps Memorial tradition while bringing awareness to The Amelia Center, a resource for families experiencing grief and loss.

We hope you'll continue to support this special memorial and help us remember all of the precious lives that have touched our hearts.

The run may have taken its final steps, but the mission continues.

Remember. Honor. Support. Mend.