2023 PCT HIKE: Bereavement Education for Nurses
Donation protected
Starting in late March 2023, I will be attempting to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. That is 2,653 miles through California, Oregon, and Washington over the course of 4-6 months. The trail goes through 26 National Forests, 7 National Parks, 5 State Parks, and 4 National Monuments.
I won't just be hiking. I will be spreading awareness for pregnancy and infant loss. Something so close to my heart as a labor and delivery nurse. It is something that is so common, yet is rarely talked about. All money raised will go towards providing Bereavement Education for Labor/Delivery Nurses, in order to provide better care for families experiencing pregnancy loss. Last year I raised $1,000 and provided education for six nurses!
I hope you follow along on this new adventure:
This is who I am: a thirty-something travel labor/delivery nurse, freelance photographer, and hiker. I was raised in small-town Iowa to parents with a love for photography and nature. Following nursing school, I started venturing more into hiking and backpacking As soon as I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I knew I was home.
I have been a labor/delivery nurse since 2016—caring for families in triage, antepartum (before birth), labor, and postpartum. This includes multiple families experiencing loss who will forever hold a special place in my heart. I am using this time to better my own knowledge surrounding bereavement, as well as educate others (including nurses).
I initially planned this hike for 2020, prior to the world around us changing. This pandemic has lasted longer than most of us thought, but the time has finally come. My previous long-distance hikes include the John Muir Trail in 2020 (approximately 210 miles), a longer section hike in the Sierra from Sonora Pass to Cottonwood Pass in 2021 (approximately 315 miles), and 500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in Southern California and Oregon in 2022.
Organizer
Ellen DeLong
Organizer
Morro Bay, CA