Red balloons fly high in a day of remembrance

Chantel White and Katherine O’Shea were among 300 people who took part in the Sids and Kids Victoria inaugural Walk to Remember in Bendigo yesterday.The walk, at Lake Weeroona, provided an opportunity for parents, family and friends to remember children no longer with them. Bendigo couple Melanie and Paul Harrison organised the walk with the assistance of a small group and with guidance from Sids and Kids Victoria. It allowed the couple to remember their son Aidan who died unexpectedly last year, while also helping others remember loved ones. Mrs Harrison said for some people this included their own child, a niece or nephew, or someone they were particularly close to. The event involved walking a lap of Lake Weeroona and it was followed by the release of more than 300 red balloons.Mrs Harrison said many people wrote messages on the balloons. She said the event also aimed to support and raise awareness about the work carried out by Sids and Kids Victoria. Sids and Kids Victoria provides bereavement support to those who have lost a child. “It provides bereavement support for the sudden and unexpected death of any child, from any cause, from 20 weeks gestation to six years of age,” she said.Mrs Harrison said about $5000 was raised from the walk and that she was grateful for the support of businesses, fellow organisers, Sids and Kids Victoria, and the general community. A picnic lunch followed the event, which Mrs Harrison hopes will be held annually.