SIDS Resources began nearly thirty years ago as a group of parents who had lost infants to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Defined as the sudden and unexplained death of a baby under one year of age, SIDS claims the lives of 2500 babies a year, over six babies a day, and is the leading cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age.
Nationally, SIDS kills more children in a year than cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, child abuse, AIDS, cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy combined. Every 3 hours-another baby dies from SIDS. And that’s SIDS alone, when other (sudden, unexpected) infant deaths are factored in, the figure becomes even higher.
In the past 30 years, SIDS Resources has grown into the only organization in Missouri exclusively dedicated to addressing all the issues of Sudden Infant Death. Headquartered in St. Louis, and with branch offices in Kansas City, Springfield and the Missouri Bootheel, their mission is to create a community where all babies are healthy throughout the first year of life.
SIDS Resources supports their mission by providing bereavement support, professional education, community education and awareness, as well as research support by partnering with local researchers to take current information on SIDS risks, and translate that information into public education in an effort to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Executive Director, Kendra Copanas stated, “Without the services provided by SIDS Resources, many parents and caregivers would not have the benefit of obtaining clear and consistent expert information on ways to reduce the risk of SIDS. Furthermore, parents who have suffered the unexpected loss of an infant would not have the support of caring professionals or a venue to discuss their loss with other parents who have suffered through the same grief.”
In one year alone SIDS Resources provided 14,000 parents, grandparents, and caregivers with life saving information regarding safe and healthy infant care practices, and 400 parents, grandparents, and siblings of infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly were provided bereavement support.
In addition to providing education, awareness, and bereavement support, SIDS Resources also operates Missouri Bootheel Healthy Start, Fatherhood First, and the Women’s Wellness Initiative. These are Federal and State funded programs created to reduce infant mortality and improve the health and well-being of babies and their mothers in a five-county area of southeastern Missouri. These programs focus on community-based efforts to educate new parents and parents-to-be, health care and social work professionals, and the general public.
Recently, SIDS Resources kicked-off its annual giving campaign – The Start of Something More. Chaired by Jeff Winter, President of the Board of Directors for SIDS Resources, the campaign runs through February 15, and will raise funds for SIDS awareness and education programs as well as bereavement support to families touched by the unexpected loss of an infant.
Through the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations, SIDS Resources has maintained its commitment to offer all of its services at no charge to its clients. Corporate Communications Group, Inc. of Overland Park, KS donated $1500 to this year’s campaign. Jeanne Schwartz, SIDS Resources Board Member and Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications Group, Inc. commented, ” Our gift to SIDS Resources is a gift from the heart. We strongly believe in their mission to ensure that all babies have a healthy start in life.”
For more information on SIDS Resources and its services or to participate in the annual giving campaign please contact Executive Director, Kendra Copanas at 1-800-421-3511 or visit the web site at http://www.sidsresources.org.