Shannon Doman

Walking for Love, Loss, and Hope

This January, I’m setting myself a small but meaningful challenge, to walk or jog 2 kilometres every day in support of Sands, a charity that supports families who have experienced the loss of a baby.

Baby loss is something that touches so many lives, yet it is often carried quietly. Miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, each loss is deeply personal, and each one matters. There are no “right” words and no timelines for grief, but there is love, remembrance, and the need to know that no one walks this path alone.

I am doing this for every parent, every partner, every family who has had to say goodbye too soon. For those whose arms were left empty, and for those whose hearts still carry the weight of what might have been.

But this challenge is especially close to my heart because I am doing it for my sister and her partner. They have experienced the pain of miscarriage,  a pain that leaves an imprint long after the moment has passed. Through that loss, they have shown incredible strength, love, and resilience. They have since been blessed with a beautiful son, and are now expecting a daughter, a reminder that hope and grief can exist side by side, and that joy does not erase loss, nor should it have to.

Each step I take this month is for the babies who are gone but never forgotten, for the families learning to live with loss, and for the importance of support, understanding, and compassion. Sands does vital work in providing care, resources, and a voice to those navigating the unimaginable, and I’m proud to support them in any small way I can.

Thank you for reading, for supporting, and for remembering. Every step is taken with love. 🤍