SUDC UK Launches (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Charity) An Affiliate to The SUDC Foundation

SUDC UK is a new UK Charity dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of sudden unexpected deaths in childhood and funding crucial research to better understand and prevent these tragedies. SUDC is one of the most under-recognised medical tragedies of our time. The organisation was co-founded by three SUDC bereaved mothers in 2017. Grief expert, Jenni Thomas OBE, founder of The Child Bereavement Trust (now Child Bereavement UK) is the charity’s Patron. Professor Peter Fleming, a Professor of Infant Health & Developmental Physiology at Bristol University, Professor Neil Sebire, a clinical academic Paediatric and Perinatal Pathologist and Dr Peter Sidebotham, a consultant Paediatrician and an Associate Professor of Child Health at the University of Warwick will be the charity’s expert advisors.

"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."

SUDC UK is proud to be an affiliate of the international organisation, the SUDC Foundation. The SUDC Foundation, which is based in the United States, serves over 800 families in eighteen countries who have experienced the unique challenges and unanswered questions that follow a sudden, unexpected and unexplained loss of a child. Together, they are the only organisations worldwide whose sole purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. While the SUDC Foundation will continue to provide bereavement support to SUDC families in the UK, SUDC UK will spearhead a national public awareness campaign to raise awareness of SUDC in the UK as well as raise funds for expanded SUDC research initiatives.

“We are so excited about the launch of SUDC UK,” said Laura Gould Crandall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the SUDC Foundation. “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.”

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 Office for National Statistics for England and Wales 2016 figures, 42 children age one – nineteen years were lost to SUDC. This includes 25, one-four year olds as SUDC is most prevalent amongst toddlers. In all healthy children SUDC is the 3rd leading category of natural death in England and Wales. (Not including underlying congenital malformation or violent/accidental death.)

SUDC is different to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which affects babies under twelve months. One important difference is that there is currently nothing parents can do to mitigate the risk of SUDC. Research into SIDS has resulted in important 'safer sleep' guidance. More research into SUDC is crucial to determine whether there is anything that can be done to protect children from dying without reason.

To learn more about SUDC UK, please visit www.sudc.org.uk

About SUDC UK:

SUDC UK is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding 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.

About the SUDC Foundation:

The SUDC Foundation is an international organisation supporting over 800 families in eighteen different countries whose sole 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.

Media Contacts:

Camilla Gooden

Co-Founder & Communications Director SUDC UK

Mobile: 07702079089
Camilla@sudc.org.uk

SUDC Foundation in the US:

Elizabeth Milliken
Of SUDC Foundation
elizabeth@sudc.org