I am running the NYC Marathon on
November 6th in honor of our son, Miles, and to raise awareness and funding
for the SUDC Foundation.
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category
of death in children between the ages of 1 and 18 that remains unexplained
after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. Most often, a seemingly
healthy child goes to sleep and never wakes up. At this time, we do not know
what causes SUDC, how to predict it or how to prevent it. SUDC is believed to
be rare; occurring in about one in every 100,000 children. Every year in the
United States, approximately 400 children are lost to SUDC. (Learn more at sudc.org)
The SUDC Foundation’s mission is to promote awareness,
advocate for research, and support those affected by sudden unexpected or
unexplained death in childhood (SUDC). The SUDC Foundation runs solely on
private donations as public funding is focused on other sudden deaths, such as
SIDS.
While Miles’ medical investigation is still ongoing, an SUDC
classification is a strong possibility as medical examiners have been unable to
find a cause of death. In fact, the detective told us our son was “perfect.” Regardless
of the final determination, we will always support the SUDC Foundation. They have
been there for us from the moment we contacted them – providing grief resources,
checking on us, and serving as a liaison between us and the medical examiner so
we haven’t had to make as many difficult phone calls.
Please read about SUDC and spread awareness. If you feel it
in your heart to donate to the cause, please click the link above. Many of you
have already donated through other venues such as Facebook fundraisers or giving
programs at work – thank you!
Joe, Mara, and Miles
Read Miles’ story at http://www.miles4miles.com
#MilesforMiles
