Red nose time again
June 25 is Red Nose Day, one of Australia’s premier fundraising events.
Funds raised from the campaign are used to research the causes of child mortality and implement the safe sleeping health promotion campaign.
That safe sleeping campaign has reduced the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by more than 80 per cent – equating to saving the lives of more than 4,000 Australian babies since its introduction in 1991.
However, this trend has not been identified in the Aboriginal population, where the disparity in the rate of SIDS among Aboriginal infants compared to non-Aboriginal have increased.
Red Nose Day also funds bereavement counselling for families who experienced the sudden and unexpected death of a child from miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, SIDS, drowning, poisoning, a fast onset illness, a motor vehicle accident, farm accident or through some other way from conception to the age of two years.
SIDS and Kids CEO Angela Doyle said the charity raised 90 per cent of its revenue through Red Nose Day.
"Without this money it cannot provide its free services to the community," she said.
On the eve of the campaign, the charity received a fillip with one of its long-term supporters Jacqueline Scurlock receiving an Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Dr Scurlock has been an advocate of SIDS and Kids since 1981 and is responsible for helping affected parents through setting up the monitoring clinic at Princess Margaret Hospital.