Red Nose Day

The last Friday in June is Red Nose Day. The initiative raises funds for SIDS and Kids that go towards services and programs in bereavement support, education, research, national awareness campaigning and advocacy. SIDS and Kids is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood and to supporting bereaved families.

The Red Nose Day concept was adopted by SIDS and Kids organisations around Australia 25 years ago. The first Red Nose Day sold around a million face noses, raising about $1.3 million and substantially increasing awareness of SIDS and Kids and the cause. It has since then become a national annual event.

Since the beginning, Red Nose Day has contributed a large portion of the funds raised by SIDS and Kids. The concept of donning a red nose for a day to be silly for a serious cause has expanded to include a range of products and involves celebrities, businesses, vehicles and buildings throughout Australia.

Education initiatives such as the SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping Program have saved the lives of an estimated 7,500 Australian babies since 1990. Working with health care professionals, childcare organisations and online support networks, new parents have benefited from the SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping recommendations. They are evidence-based and provide families and health professionals with information about how to reduce the risk of SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents and create a safe sleeping environment for babies. The SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping program recommends to

• Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side
• Sleep baby with head and face uncovered
• Keep baby smoke free before birth and after
• Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day
• Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult care-giver for the first six to twelve months
• Breastfeed baby.