The loss of a baby affects a family for a lifetime, and care and support are needed well beyond the immediate time of loss. People who provide that care, whether in a professional or personal capacity, can benefit from attending "A Journey of a Lifetime," an in-person perinatal conference sponsored by Share of Lancaster.

The conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 26 E. Chestnut St., Lancaster. It will present information for people in the medical field as well as therapists and others who have touched the lives of families that have lost a baby.

"It's been a while since Share had an in-person conference like this one," said Dr. Serena Wu, who is a maternal fetal medicine physician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the executive director of Share. "To have a conference that is pulling in nationally recognized speakers on this subject matter is unique."

Highlights of the "Journey of a Lifetime" conference will include morning keynote speaker Dr. Robert Silver of University of Utah, who has spent more than 20 years researching stillbirth and pregnancy loss. Afternoon sessions and speakers will feature a keynote address by Joanna Cole of CHOP, who has developed perinatal palliative and bereavement care programs.

"The first half of the day will focus on the medical realm, and the second half will concentrate of the psychosocial realm," Wu explained. A variety of panels will be featured, led by experts in the field.

The conference is open to anyone who provides care or is affected by pregnancy loss, she noted, adding that it also provides continuing education credit for healthcare workers.

"Part of Share of Lancaster's mission is education and to bring awareness," Wu said. "October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, so it's timed with that. The theme is 'Past, Present and Future': Where have we been? Where are we now, and where are we going?"

Founded more than 40 years ago by a bereaved mother in Lancaster and two nurses, Share of Lancaster helps parents and families deal with the death of an infant from miscarriage, pregnancy complications, stillbirth, SIDS or other causes.

"We want people to know they aren't alone," said Wu. "A lot of times, people will say, 'Until I started talking about it, I didn't realize other people had experienced this as well.'"

Share will host the Share of Lancaster Walk 2023 the day after the conference, Sunday, Oct. 29, at the Lancaster Barnstormers' stadium, 650 N. Prince St., Lancaster. It will run from 5 to 7 p.m.

"This is our annual remembrance event," Wu said. "It's a memorial service, but it's not sad. It's a way to remember our babies and spend time together. We have readings of writings submitted by Share members. We show a video presentation, and we call out every baby's name. We also light candles near dusk, and that will light up the stadium."

Registration is free for the walk. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 20.

For more information on the Share conference or the walk, visit http://www.shareoflancaster.org.