Go wild and silly for a serious cause
Today SIDS and Kids celebrates the 26th Red Nose Day, their not-for-profit’s major fundraiser. Leanne Raven, CEO of SIDS and Kids, explains why support for this event is so important.
Every year over 3,500 families go through the unthinkable tragedy of their baby or child dying suddenly from stillbirth, sudden and unexpected death in infancy (including SIDS), or accident.
SIDS and Kids is the only charity that provides end-to-end support to the Australian community, from educating parents and health professionals about safe sleeping practices, to supporting bereaved families.
SIDS and Kids receives over 10,000 calls for support and education every year from all parts of Australia. We receive little ongoing funding from the government and rely on the generosity of the Australian community as well as a large team of over 1,500 volunteers to continue our work.
Red Nose Day started 26 years ago and was the very first charity day of its kind in Australia. It gives the public the permission to ‘go silly for a serious cause!’
This year the Wild and Silly theme has been created with a range of gorgeous and cheeky wild animals that has quickly become a favourite among children and adults alike.
By wearing a Red Nose, buying a wild and silly Red Nose Day product or simply making a donation, funds raised during Red Nose Day ensure that we can continue to support the community.
Here are some quick facts about Red Nose Day and SIDS and Kids:
- SIDS and Kids was founded in 1977 by parents who had experienced the sudden and unexpected death of their baby or child
- Over 7,500 babies’ lives has been saved through our ‘Sleep Safe, My Baby’ education and community awareness program. Over $16 million has been devoted towards research providing evidence-based support to create education awareness campaigns
- SIDS and Kids receives more than 10,000 calls for support and education every year
- SIDS and Kids receives minimal government funding; public support is vital to allow SIDS and Kids to continue to provide these vital services to the community.
If you would like to show your support, here is how:
- Buy Red Nose Day products from retailers or online.
- Donate. Donations $2 and over are tax deductible.
- Create an online fundraising page
- Upload a photo of yourself and ‘tag it’ with a red nose
I hope you will join us in being wild and silly for a serious cause this Red Nose Day.
Leanne Raven commenced as CEO of SIDS and Kids Australia in January 2007 and is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children through the elimination of sudden and unexpected deaths and supporting bereaved families. Prior to joining SIDS and Kids Leanne was a self-employed strategy and management consultant with executive and senior management experience in public health and education. Over the past 20 years Leanne has undertaken many leadership roles within human services, the education sector and family services areas.
