Baby Steps - Mend a Heart Memorial Campaign

Welcome to Year 18 of Supporting Grieving Families!

We are excited to announce that we will continue the legacy of the Baby Steps Memorial Run in a new way. We understand how important this event is to so many families. While we don't have the capacity to continue an in-person event, we remain committed to supporting your families through this annual memorial.

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

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.

Remember. Honor. Support. Mend.

Registration Includes:

• ONE Memorial T-shirt featuring the names submitted in memory of loved ones (additional shirts can be purchased for $25 each)
• ONE Baby Steps Memorial bracelet (additional bracelets can be purchased for $5 each or 5 for $20) 
• Access to our Baby Steps Mend a Heart Memorial Facebook page, where we share information about The Amelia Center, grief resources, and ways to support families experiencing loss
• A memorial video at the conclusion of the campaign featuring all submitted names
• Option to purchase additional shirts or bracelets

 

Memorial Name Submission (see deadline!)

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. WE WILL NOT ORDER EXTRA SHIRTS THIS YEAR                    (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. Our goal is to support you through your grief journey, remember them with you, and spread awareness about the services provided by The Amelia Center.

 

Shirt Pickup

This is a pickup-only fundraiser. We are unable to ship any items.

Packet pickup will take place in November 2026 at The Amelia Center. The exact pickup date and time will be announced once shirt production is finalized. You should receive an email by the end of October! 

 

Help Us Make a Bigger Impact

Want to provide more support? We encourage you to create a fundraiser page through this campaign in memory of your loved one. Invite friends, family, and your community to donate in memory of your loved one. Sometimes people are looking for a way to honor your loved one and support you in your grief—and this is the perfect opportunity.

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

If we have enough fundraiser participation, we may recognize the top fundraiser with a special prize!

 

Bummed there's no in person race? Make Your Own!

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 or 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.

 

Why We Continue

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 this mission and help Mend a Heart!

 

For more information about how this fundraiser started visit www.babystepsal.org

 

 

 

Baby Steps - Mend a Heart Memorial Campaign: Memorial Shirt