Tag Archives: Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood

26 State Proclamations Kick Off Awareness Month for Unexplained Childhood Deaths

ROSELAND, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2022 SUDC Awareness Month.

These are the first U.S. states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time, marking the beginning of a month-long worldwide campaign.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of 1 year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. Most often, a seemingly healthy child goes to sleep and never wakes up.

"Even though SUDC affects approximately 400 children in the United States annually, many physicians and medical professionals are unaware of it," says Dr. Erin Bowen, Vice President of the SUDC Foundation and pediatrician, "Increased awareness can lead to further research initiatives to help uncover causes and risk factors for these deaths, with the ultimate goal of preventing them, leading to a future free of SUDC."

Recent research at NYU Langone health discovered the first genetic underpinnings of SUDC.

Awareness is key to identifying cases of SUDC for research. Recent research funded by the SUDC Foundation and published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" analyzed the DNA codes of 124 children who were lost to SUDC as well as their biological parents. The researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that nearly 9 percent-or 11 of the 124 children-had DNA code changes in genes that regulate calcium function and attributed these changes to contributing to their deaths. Additional research by the group, also funded by the SUDC Foundation, found disagreements in 40% of cause of death opinions among 100 cases sudden unexpected pediatric deaths reviewed suggesting the SUDC rate by the U.S. Centers for Death Control and Prevention (CDC) may be an underestimation.

"Each March, we try to make incredible strides to raise awareness throughout SUDC Awareness month," said Laura Gould, President and Co-founder of the SUDC Foundation. "We see every day how critical awareness is to identify families affected as well as advocating for crucial research."

The SUDC Foundation is advocating for SUDC Awareness Month proclamations in all 50 U.S. states this March. In 2021, 43 U.S. states participated. This nationwide effort began in 2016, inspired by Drew Joseph Boswell and the Boswell family. The Boswell family successfully advocated for the first statewide proclamation declaring March 2015 as SUDC Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana.

To see a full list of previous efforts as well as additional states who have joined, please visit: https://sudc.org/legislation-and-policy/sudc-awareness-proclamations/

The SUDC Foundation will once again mark SUDC Awareness Month by hosting weekly activities to raise awareness of SUDC and remember the children gone far too soon. To learn more, please visit: https://sudc.org/sudc-awareness-month/

RELATED LINKS
https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2115140118

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2022 SUDC Awareness Month.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

Twenty-Nine States Proclaim March SUDC Awareness Month for Unexplained Childhood Deaths

ROSELAND, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2021 as SUDC Awareness Month. The SUDC Foundation also applauds the California State Legislature for recognizing SUDC Awareness Month in House Resolution 24.

These are the first states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time, marking the beginning of a month-long campaign all over the world.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of 1 year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. Most often, a seemingly healthy child goes to sleep and never wakes up. Approximately 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

"As we enter another March, we are energized to have another successful month of raising SUDC awareness," said Laura Gould Crandall, President and Co-founder of the SUDC Foundation. "Awareness is crucial for funding critical research and supporting those affected by sudden unexpected or unexplained death in childhood. SUDC is the fifth leading category of death in children ages 1 to 4, yet SUDC receives no targeted public funding. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to bereaved families. Awareness helps families find us when they need us most and awareness launches us toward a world free of SUDC."

"Throughout March, we will continue to focus efforts around increasing awareness within the medical community as well," added Dr. Erin Bowen, SUDC Foundation Vice President and pediatrician. "Despite the fact that SUDC affects approximately 400 children annually, many physicians and medical professionals are unaware of it. Currently the understanding of SUDC eludes the medical community. Increased awareness can lead to further research initiatives to help uncover causes and risk factors for these deaths, with the ultimate goal of preventing them, leading to a future free of SUDC. As we work toward a deeper understanding of SUDC, we can ensure that families are adequately supported when these tragedies occur.

"If even one new family is connected to the SUDC Foundation as a result of our community's awareness efforts, then we can consider this month a success. Many bereaved parents will tell you their biggest fear is their child will be forgotten. SUDC Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to share the stories of these families, to honor the children affected and to say their names. SUDC awareness gives families a voice."

The SUDC Foundation will once again mark SUDC Awareness Month by hosting weekly awareness activities for all supporters to participate. To learn more, please visit: https://sudc.org/get-involved/sudc-awareness-month.

The SUDC Foundation is advocating for SUDC Awareness Month proclamations in all 50 U.S. states this March. In 2020, 41 participated. This nationwide effort began in 2016, inspired by Drew Joseph Boswell and the Boswell family. The Boswell family successfully advocated for the first statewide proclamation declaring March 2015 as SUDC Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana.

To see a list of previous efforts as well as additional states who have joined, please visit: https://sudc.org/get-involved/legislative-advocacy/sudc-awareness-proclamations.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation's mission is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families.

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2021 as SUDC Awareness Month.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness and The SUDC Coalition lead charge in SUDC medical education

RED BANK, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- In 2017, healthy Vienna Carly Savino tragically died at two and a half years of age. She fell asleep while watching TV in Holmdel, NJ and never woke up again. Her death was categorized as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). As a result, Dr. Denise Wunderler, DO, FAOASM, Vienna's mother, founded Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness and co-founded the SUDC Coalition. She's quickly gaining traction on the national and international stage in the field of SUDC education.

Most recently, the Dean of Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), Dr. Rance McClain, made an official commitment to add SUDC to the yearly medical curriculum, beginning with the 2020-2021 academic school year.

"We are excited to team up with Dr. Wunderler and teach our students about this critical unknown topic," McClain says.

The curriculum will likely begin with teaching SUDC with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) during the first two years of medical school, then reinforcing the information with a case study module based on Vienna's tragic story, in the third year. Wunderler will work directly with the medical school to assist in these educational goals and continue her trailblazing efforts in honor of all SUDC kids. Other medical schools across the country have since committed to following a similar path and are working with her as well.

"ARCOM is the first medical school (to our knowledge) in the world to have made such an important commitment to cutting-edge knowledge for its medical students," Wunderler says.

Over the past one and a half years, Wunderler has presented her Medical Grand Rounds lecture, "Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC): My Personal Tragedy," multiple times. She's appeared at Penn Medicine/Princeton Medical Center (NJ), Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (NJ), Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Middletown, NY), Staten Island University Hospital (NY), Ocean Medical Center (NJ) and others.

"To our knowledge, SUDC is not officially included in any medical curriculum in the U.S. or any other country," Wunderler says.

Shockingly, most physicians have never heard of SUDC, as was the case with Vienna's parents - both physicians. They were familiar with SIDS, which applies to thoroughly investigated unexplained deaths in babies under one year old. SUDC addresses ages one through 18 years old. Even Vienna's genetic studies (as part of a research study) did not reveal a cause of death. There are no causes and no preventative measures known for SUDC.

Dr. Wunderler has turned this personal tragedy into an educational opportunity. Her presentations have garnered glowing reviews and this peer-named, "superwoman" has had her lectures described as "passionate," "wonderful," powerful," "sensitive," "inspirational" and "moving."

For more information: https://vienna.team/; and https://www.sudccoalition.com/

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/TeamVienna4SUDCawareness

https://www.facebook.com/SUDCCO

@TeamVienna4SUDCawareness on Instagram

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-denise-wunderler-do-faoasm-a72684175/

About Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness Inc.

Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based out of Red Bank, NJ. Its mission is awareness/education and research support for SUDC, while honoring Vienna. Wunderler, a sports medicine physician and USA Volleyball team physician, founded her family's nonprofit on what should have been Vienna's fourth birthday on January 19, 2019.

SUDC is a category of death in kids 1-18 years old, where the unexpected death is still unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy, medical record review and death scene investigation.

About the SUDC Coalition

The SUDC Coalition is a pending 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that is a new collective organization of non-profits, parents, physicians, researchers and advocates working together to accelerate SUDC awareness and research. Wunderler and Candice Nelson, president of The Vail Project in Colorado, are the co-founders.

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/MvDNk9KxxkQ

CONTACT:
Dr. Denise Wunderler
of Team Vienna and The SUDC Coalition
TeamVienna2018@yahoo.com

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.send2press.com/300dpi/20-0825s2p-wunderler-vienna-300dpi.jpg
*Caption: Dr. Wunderler with her daughter Vienna, whose death was categorized as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC)

In 2017, healthy Vienna Carly Savino tragically died at two and a half years of age. Her death was categorized as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). As a result, Dr. Denise Wunderler, DO, FAOASM, Vienna's mother, founded Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness and co-founded the SUDC Coalition.

Related link: https://vienna.team/

Twenty-Two States Proclaim March 2020 SUDC Awareness Month for Unexplained Childhood Deaths

ROSELAND, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2020 SUDC Awareness Month.

These are the first states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time, marking the beginning of a month-long campaign all over the world.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of 1 year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. Most often, a seemingly healthy child goes to sleep and never wakes up. Approximately 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

"We have made incredible strides as we honor SUDC Awareness Month each March," said Laura Gould Crandall, President and Co-founder of the SUDC Foundation. "Last year, we surpassed serving our 1,000th family since the inception of the SUDC Foundation. While we are sorry for the reason, we are thankful these families were able to connect with our worldwide community and unique range of services. This is a true testament to the SUDC Foundation's tireless outreach and awareness efforts. But we must keep striving to ensure every family who needs us is able to find us and to advocate for research that will help us create a world without SUDC."

The SUDC Foundation will once again mark SUDC Awareness Month by hosting weekly activities for every SUDC supporter to raise awareness of SUDC and remember the children gone far too soon.

To learn more, please visit: https://sudc.org/get-involved/sudc-awareness-month

The SUDC Foundation is advocating for SUDC Awareness Month proclamations in all 50 U.S. states this March. In 2019, 43 U.S. states participated. This nationwide effort began in 2016, inspired by Drew Joseph Boswell and the Boswell family. The Boswell family successfully advocated for the first statewide proclamation declaring March 2015 as SUDC Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana.

To see a full list of previous efforts as well as additional states who have joined, please visit: https://sudc.org/get-involved/legislative-advocacy/sudc-awareness-proclamations

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families. Learn more: https://sudc.org/

Media Contact:
Stephanie Zarecky
The SUDC Foundation
Tel 973.795.1257
stephanie@sudc.org

*LOGO links for media:
[1] SUDC Logo: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/18-0228s2p-sudc-fdn-300dpi.jpg

[2] Awareness Logo: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-0301s2p-SUDC-AwarenessMonth-300dpi.jpg

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation thanks Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia for making statewide proclamations declaring March 2020 SUDC Awareness Month.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

New Research Sheds Light on Potential Role of Febrile Seizures and Other Risk Factors in Sudden Deaths in Children

ROSELAND, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The SUDC Foundation highlights newly-published research from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) that identifies an increased rate of febrile seizures among children who die suddenly, both with and without explanation. The authors of the article report the need for more research to identify febrile seizure patients at higher risk, as well as other potential risk factors of sudden death in children.

The published research, entitled "Sudden Deaths in Children: Potential Role of Febrile Seizures and Other Risk Factors," examined 391 cases of both Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) and sudden, explained deaths in children between the ages of 1 and 6 years from 2001-2017. Among those studied, 28.8 percent of SUDC cases and 22.1 percent of sudden, explained cases also had a reported history of febrile seizures. In comparison, two to five percent of the general population experience febrile seizures. These findings mark the first time a significant increase in febrile seizures was found among sudden, explained child deaths.

"Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood remains a tragic disorder that claims far too many lives and has been the subject of far too little research and public awareness," said Orrin Devinsky, M.D., of New York University Langone Health.

"This study has brought us closer to understanding the causes of some SUDC cases," said Daniel Friedman, M.D., of New York University Langone Health. "In the past decade, there have significant advances in understanding the mechanisms of seizure-related sudden death in people with epilepsy through animal models. This study provides the rational for extending these models to help identify risk biomarkers and preventative strategies for SUDC as well."

"I hope our analysis provides some reassurance to families who lost children to SUDC in that we did not identify a single case of unexplained sibling death," said Laura Gould Crandall, lead author and Executive Director and Co-founder of the SUDC Foundation. "To improve our understanding of SUDC, we need population-based studies where we examine cases that better reflect the general population and are informed by standardized investigations with additional testing, including genetic testing."

SUDC is a category of death in children over the age of one year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Most often, SUDC occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep. At least 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

The research also indicated the children in the study were over four times more likely to die during sleep in the SUDC cases as opposed to the sudden, explained cases. And none of the children studied had a sibling who also died prematurely from SUDC.

The full article will be available at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 26, 2019.

To learn more about SUDC and the SUDC Foundation, please visit https://sudc.org/.

Additional information on "Sudden Deaths in Children: Potential Role of Febrile Seizures and Other Risk Factors": Data for this study was collected from 622 family members of children who died suddenly and unexpectedly and voluntarily registered with the SUDC Foundation. The family members provided the data evaluated through a comprehensive interview on medical and social histories and circumstances of death and forensic evaluations revealed an explained or unexplained cause of death (SUDC). Over 59 percent were male and the average age at death was 24.9 months.

About the SUDC Foundation:
The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families.

The SUDC Foundation highlights newly-published research from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) that identifies an increased rate of febrile seizures among children who die suddenly, both with and without explanation. The authors of the article report the need for more research.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

Twenty States Proclaim March SUDC Awareness Month for Unexplained Childhood Deaths

ROSELAND, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce 20 states, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia have made statewide proclamations declaring March 2019 SUDC Awareness Month.

These are the first states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time, marking the beginning of a month-long campaign all over the world.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of 1 year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Most often, SUDC occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep. Approximately 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

"We want every family who loses a child to SUDC to be able to find the SUDC Foundation to get support as soon they need us," said Laura Gould Crandall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the SUDC Foundation. "These families too often feel lost and alone in their grief, without information, resources or knowledge that other families exist with a similar loss. Raising awareness of SUDC is essential to our work to support those affected by SUDC and advocate for research that will help us create a world without SUDC."

The SUDC Foundation will once again honor SUDC Awareness Month by hosting weekly activities for every SUDC supporter to raise awareness of SUDC and remember the children gone far too soon.

To learn more, please visit: https://sudc.org/advocacy/sudc-awareness-month.

The SUDC Foundation is advocating for SUDC Awareness Month proclamations in all 50 U.S. states this March. In 2018, 43 U.S. states participated. This nationwide effort began in 2016, inspired by Drew Joseph Boswell and the Boswell family. The Boswell family successfully advocated for the first statewide proclamation declaring March 2015 as SUDC Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana.

To see a full list of previous efforts as well as additional states who have joined, please visit: https://sudc.org/advocacy/legislative-policy-and-advocacy/us-state-proclamations

About the SUDC Foundation:
The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families. Learn more: https://sudc.org/.

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce 20 states, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia have made statewide proclamations declaring March 2019 SUDC Awareness Month.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

SUDC Foundation Celebrates Launch of UK Affiliate, SUDC UK

CEDAR GROVE, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its affiliate in the United Kingdom, SUDC UK. The SUDC Foundation, which is based in the United States, serves over 800 families in 18 countries who have experienced the unique challenges and unanswered questions that follow a sudden, unexpected and unexplained loss of a child.

SUDC UK will build upon the SUDC Foundation's efforts in the U.K. to increase awareness of SUDC and raise funds for expanded research initiatives on one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of one year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Most often, SUDC occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 400 children in the United States are lost annually to SUDC. It is most common in young children and is the fifth leading category of death among children ages of 1 to 4 years. Comparably, the Office of National Statistics for England and Wales states 42 children were lost to SUDC in 2016, of which 25 were aged 1-4 years.

"We are so excited to announce the launch of SUDC UK," said Laura Gould Crandall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the SUDC Foundation. "The SUDC Foundation is proud of its history of being the only worldwide organization devoted to supporting those who have been devastated by SUDC. SUDC UK will help us expand our outreach efforts to support more U.K. families and advocate for research that will further our understanding of SUDC and ways to prevent it."

"Nikki, Helen and I are proud to announce the birth of SUDC UK, an affiliate to the SUDC Foundation and a U.K. charity whose sole purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for more research and build a connected and compassionate SUDC community," said Camilla Gooden Co-Founder of SUDC UK. "SUDC UK is launched in memory of all our children and we hope we can make a difference by shining their light on SUDC. We are eternally thankful to the SUDC Foundation for supporting us on our journey to make this happen. We very much hope to see as many U.K. families as possible at our launch on 21st April."

SUDC UK will enhance the SUDC Foundation's efforts to support the needs of the SUDC community in the United Kingdom. While the SUDC Foundation will continue to provide bereavement support to SUDC families in the U.K., SUDC UK will spearhead a national public awareness campaign to raise awareness of SUDC in the U.K. as well as raise funds for expanded SUDC research initiatives. Through prior efforts, leadership of SUDC UK have raised over $228,000 (£184,500) in funding to support SUDC and bereaved families.

SUDC UK will celebrate its launch at an event on Saturday, April 21st at Chessington World of Adventures Resort supported by The Lullaby Trust. The event will honor families whose toddler or child died suddenly and unexpectedly as well as feature a presentation on the work of SUDC UK.

To learn more about SUDC and the SUDC Foundation, please visit https://sudc.org/.

To learn more about the SUDC UK, please visit: https://www.sudc.org/uk.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families.

About SUDC UK:

SUDC UK is dedicated to increasing awareness of sudden unexpected deaths in childhood and funding crucial research to better understand and prevent these tragedies. Co-founded by three SUDC bereaved mothers in memory of all SUDC children, they hope to make a difference by shining a light on SUDC.

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its affiliate in the United Kingdom, SUDC UK. The SUDC Foundation, which is based in the United States, serves over 800 families in 18 countries who have experienced the unique challenges and unanswered questions that follow a sudden, unexpected and unexplained loss of a child.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

Ten States Proclaim March 2018 Awareness Month for Unexplained Childhood Deaths to Kick Off Month-Long Campaign

CEDAR GROVE, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce nine states, Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah & Wisconsin, have made statewide proclamations declaring March 2018 SUDC Awareness Month. These are the first states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of one year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Most often, SUDC occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep. At least 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

"Far too often, the first time people hear about SUDC is when they, or someone they know, has lost a child to it," said Laura Gould Crandall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the SUDC Foundation. "SUDC families too often grieve in isolation, without information, resources or knowledge that other families exist with a similar loss. Raising awareness of SUDC is integral to the work of the SUDC Foundation so we can support those affected by SUDC and advocate for research that will further our understanding of the causes and ways to prevent SUDC."

The SUDC Foundation is advocating for SUDC Awareness Month proclamations in all 50 U.S. states this March. In 2017, 36 U.S. states participated. This nationwide effort began in 2016, inspired by Drew Joseph Boswell and the Boswell family. The Boswell family successfully advocated for the first statewide proclamation declaring March 2015 as SUDC Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana.

To see a full list of previous efforts as well as additional states who have joined, please visit: https://sudc.org/advocacy/legislative-policy-and-advocacy/us-state-proclamations

This year, the SUDC Foundation is expanding its awareness month campaign to host weekly activities for every SUDC supporter to raise awareness of SUDC and honor the children gone far too soon. To learn more, please visit: https://sudc.org/advocacy/sudc-awareness-month.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families. To learn more about SUDC and the SUDC Foundation, please visit https://sudc.org/.

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation is pleased to announce nine states, Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin, have made statewide proclamations declaring March 2018 SUDC Awareness Month. These are the first states to join a nationwide effort led by the SUDC Foundation to raise awareness of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

New Short Film Sheds Light on Struggles of Families Facing Unexplained Death of a Child

CEDAR GROVE, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation released a powerful new documentary, "Love Beyond Reason," that offers a snapshot of the unique challenges and unanswered questions that follow a sudden, unexpected and unexplained loss of a child.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children over the age of one year which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Most often, SUDC occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep. At least 400 children are lost to SUDC in the United States every year.

"Love Beyond Reason" depicts the challenges the medical community faces as it tries to understand this classification of death and the heartache of parents and families who have experienced the sudden loss of a thriving child with no medical cause or explanation.

"This documentary powerfully presents the human side of one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time," said Orrin Devinsky, M.D., of the New York University Langone School of Medicine and the Principal Investigator of the SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC).

The film also highlights the chronically under-served needs of families affected by SUDC, including a lack research, support and funding. While it is the fifth leading category of death among children ages one to four, SUDC has received no public funding to date.

"Unfortunately, sudden deaths of children do happen," said Laura Gould Crandall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the SUDC Foundation. "For far too long, SUDC has not been addressed well by the medical community in terms of care for the families affected and pursuing an understanding of a cause and a way to prevent these deaths. We have to change that."

Scenes for "Love Beyond Reason" were shot at the Understanding Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Conference held in New York City, N.Y., on May 1, 2017. The conference was the first multidisciplinary medical conference on SUDC which featured critical research updates and best practices from the fields of epidemiology, pathology, genetics, cardiology, neurology and palliative care. Over 225 attendees joined from 35 U.S. states and five countries.

The conference also offered the rare opportunity for SUDC families to connect in person with others who have suffered similar tragedies, which is also featured in the film.

"This film cuts to the heart of what SUDC is all about," said Bobby Jenkins, a grandfather of a child lost to SUDC and Board Member of the SUDC Foundation. "From the first-ever conference for researchers and parents, we are able to tell the story of an entire classification of children who die without answers and receives no government research support. We see the families brought together for the first time and experience the tears and loss, but also the hope that someday we will have the resources to find out what happened to these wonderful children. Thanks so much to the SUDC Foundation for bringing everyone together and telling this important story."

"Like many, I was unaware of what SUDC really was before working on this film. It was through working on this conference that I began to understand the mystery of SUDC, and the strength of the families enduring such a loss," said Austen Deery, the director of the film. "The love and community I felt and was a part of while filming this documentary was special. To have families open up about these tragedies and speak freely about what their experience has been like was nothing short of heroic and deserves so much more than what I was able to provide as a filmmaker.

"So I say thank you to all those who were a part of making this conference so powerful, and to the entire team at the SUDC Foundation whose support and effort does not go unnoticed, and will not stop until this tragic phenomenon is put to rest."

To learn more about SUDC and the SUDC Foundation, and to watch "Love Beyond Reason," please visit https://sudc.org/.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to families.

About the SUDCRRC:

The SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC) will assist families and the medicolegal death investigation community when these tragedies occur. The purpose is to increase the understanding of the characteristics, circumstances, medical histories and pathologies of children from ages 11 months through 18 years who have died suddenly and unexpectedly, and in some instances, without explanation.

The SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative will analyze cases of sudden unexpected deaths in these children to understand risk factors and causes, and develop preventative measures. By bringing together these rare cases, we hope to support grieving families with a greater understanding of their child's death and support medical research efforts into all causes of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Milliken
Of SUDC Foundation
Cell: 973-459-1092
elizabeth@sudc.org
https://sudc.org/

*IMAGE for media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/17-0918s2p-love-beyond-reason-300dpi.jpg

Twitter: @SUDC #LoveBeyondReason

The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation released a powerful new documentary, "Love Beyond Reason," that offers a snapshot of the unique challenges and unanswered questions that follow a sudden, unexpected and unexplained loss of a child.

Related link: https://sudc.org/

Thirty-Seven U.S. State Proclamations Raise Awareness of Mysterious Childhood Deaths

CEDAR GROVE, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- The emotional trauma associated with losing a child is overwhelming. But when that loss is combined with a total lack of explanation, grief can become far more complicated, says the SUDC Foundation. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the sudden unexplained death of a child over the age of one which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation is conducted.

It is not a diagnosis but a category of death that eludes our scientific understanding today. In 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 393 children between the ages of 1 and 19 years died without a clear explanation for their death. The majority of SUDC deaths affect children aged 1-4 years.

"It is a frightening statistic, especially since SUDC often occurs in otherwise healthy children during sleep-time," explained Laura Crandall, co-founder and President of the SUDC Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing awareness, funding crucial research and the prevention of SUDC.

The Foundation is the only organization worldwide devoted solely to the needs of families and professionals affected by childhood sudden death.

When Devon and Georgia Boswell lost their precious son Drew on March 12, 2014, at the age of 15 months, they were devastated. "When we lost Drew, we felt all our dreams for the future slip through our fingers. How could our healthy 15 month-old, simply not wake up," a question Georgia Boswell still asks today.

Their friend, Christina Grantham, was also shocked by the inexplicable death of little Drew. She joined forces with the SUDC Foundation to improve the country's awareness of this little known tragedy. In 2016, she spearheaded the first nationwide awareness campaign in the U.S. to proclaim SUDC Awareness month to educate the public and raise funds for crucial research. Twenty-six U.S. states signed on.

"It has been an honor to work with Christina Grantham - a tireless volunteer in the fight to understand and prevent SUDC. Her dedication is not only a reflection of her love for Drew, but also her love for all children," states Lorri Caffrey, Co-founder of the SUDC Foundation.

In 2017, with the coordinated efforts of Christina and bereaved parents across the U.S., the campaign continues to grow. To date, thirty-seven (37) U.S. State Legislatures have issued proclamations that March 2017 is SUDC Awareness Month.

"Awareness is a catalyst that can allow the SUDC Foundation to reach more families and help achieve the end goal of a world without sudden unexplained death in childhood. As Drew's Mother, I could not be prouder that his short life and the passion of Christina Grantham, and so many others, have led to success of SUDC awareness month. This initiative is not just for Drew, it is for all SUDC children. Their legacies continue to bring out the best in people each and every day," says Georgia Boswell.

For more information and to view all of the SUDC US State proclamations visit the SUDC Foundation Website at: https://sudc.org/.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is devoted solely to the needs of professionals and families touched by the unexpected death of a child aged 12 months or older. Since its inception, the non-profit Foundation has funded crucial research, helped hundreds of families in over 16 countries, and led many advocacy efforts, including the successful passage of the Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in December 2014. For more information, visit https://sudc.org/ and follow us on Twitter @SUDC.

Video (Vimeo), "Explaining the Unexplained":
https://vimeo.com/196286865

The emotional trauma associated with losing a child is overwhelming. But when that loss is combined with a total lack of explanation, grief can become far more complicated, says the SUDC Foundation. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the sudden unexplained death of a child over the age of one which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation is conducted.