The third annual Fertility Matters Community Walk will take place in a more private setting this weekend, at Ferguson Estates in Camlachie.
The awareness campaign will be held on Sunday, October 22, from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m.
Co-organizer Colleen Thakkar said it will be interesting to see the event shift from Sarnia to Camlachie.
"A lot of people who are struggling with fertility... there's a lot of anxiety and a lot of emotions surrounding that," she said. "When it is held in a public place like Canatara Park, even though we're walking through the trails and are back within a pavilion, it's still in a public place. So I think it's really going to be beautiful at Ferguson Estates because it is more private and so I think it will help build that connection and a sense of privacy but also in the supportive group.
Sunday's event will begin with lunch and attendees will hear from a few speakers.
"[They'll] share a little bit about their experiences, fertility wise or maybe their experience attending the walk in the past," Thakkar said. "We'll do a candle lighting, we like to acknowledge peoples' journeys, some people have experienced loss as part of their journey."
Afterward, participants will take a group nature walk.
"We want to promote fertility awareness and connection within the community," she said.
The inaugural walk was held virtually and supported the nationwide Fertility Matters initiative. Thakkar said since then, they wanted to raise funds that stayed within the local community. Proceeds will go toward the On Fertile Ground holistic program.
"We found that there were several people who were interested in the program and maybe that just wasn't financially viable for them," said Thakkar. "So we thought, if we could raise funds locally, then [we'd be] assisting people - not covering the full program but as much as we can."
Thakkar expects there to be approximately 200 participants this year. For the first time, the event included registration and participants were able to choose the amount they were willing to donate.
Thakkar said although registration is encouraged it is not mandatory, and those who would like to support the program without attending the walk can still contribute to the cause online.
The event will be held rain or shine.
October is also recognized in Canada as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.