NEW ORLEANS, La., March 2, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Drew’s Tunes Foundation is proud to announce that Governor Bobby Jindal has proclaimed March as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Awareness Month in the State of Louisiana. This proclamation (attached) is the first of its kind in the southern United States for Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, which is a diagnosis of exclusion impacting around 200 toddlers each year in United States.
Georgia Boswell, a New Orleans Mother, who lost a child to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood issued the following statement regarding the proclamation, “When we lost our son, Drew Joseph Boswell, on March 12, 2014, we did not know that Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood even existed. The loss of a child is the worst loss one can experience and to have no answers why compounded the grief. When we found out about the SUDC Foundation, we felt comfort in the realization we were not alone and that there was an organization dedicated solely to finding answers for families like ours.”
Boswell continued, “To honor the legacy of our amazing little boy, we began the labor of love that is now known as Drew’s Tunes Foundation. One of the primary goals of Drew’s Tunes is bring awareness to SUDC and to support the SUDC Foundation’s efforts. This proclamation from Governor Jindal and the state of Louisiana is not only humbling, but also leaves us filled with a gratitude difficult to convey into words on the behalf of our family and all the other families who have experienced an SUDC loss.”
She added, “It brings us great pride to know that our Governor and thousands across the state will be informed about SUDC, and know our work to honor Drew’s legacy has not been in vain. As we are approaching 1 year without our son on March 12, we are filled with hope that this proclamation will increase awareness of SUDC for years to come.”
Laura Crandall, co-founder of the SUDC Foundation was deeply moved by this official recognition regarding SUDC from the state of Louisiana and the awareness it will bring for families like the Boswells who have been impacted by the sudden and unexplained loss of their children. “I am deeply touched by the actions of the state of Louisiana, Governor Jindal, and the Drew’s Tunes Foundation in calling attention to the often unheard of and unspoken tragedy of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. Our children deserve to have their stories told, and by doing so, they will be instrumental in uncovering the clues and finally the answers in helping us reach a future free of SUDC. The SUDC Foundation gratefully thanks the state of Louisiana for their recognition of our children gone too soon and for their commitment to a better future for all children. ”
About the SUDC Foundation The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Foundation:
The SUDC Foundation (formerly The SUDC Program created in September 2001) is tasked with providing a centralized resource for information, support and advocacy. It serves families and professionals affected by the tragedy of SUDC, and promotes awareness of SUDC in communities. SUDC began as result of the determination of two mothers, Laura Crandall and Chelsea Hilbert, who were both searching for answers after the losses of their own children to what is now classified as SUDC.
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the sudden and unexpected death of a child over the age of twelve months, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation is conducted. This must include: examination of the death scene, performance of a complete autopsy, and a review of the child and family’s medical history. SUDC is a diagnosis of exclusion – given when all known and possible causes of death have been ruled out (Krous et. al 2005).
The SUDC Foundation continues to be the leading organization worldwide devoted solely to uncovering the mystery of SUDC. Since its creation in 2001, it has granted approximately 1.2 million in support and research grants and continues to work towards its mission of a future free of SUDC. Today, it serves over 600 families worldwide and the numbers continue to grow. Learn more at: http://www.sudc.org/ .
About Drew’s Tunes Foundation:
Drew’s Tunes is a non-profit 501(c)3, operating currently under the umbrella of Saint Anna’s Church. Drew’s Tunes was created by Devron and Georgia Boswell in the days following the sudden and unexplained death of their son, Drew Joseph Boswell, on March 12, 2014. The mission of Drew’s Tunes is to celebrate the life of Drew Joseph Boswell by providing musical instruments to children, expose them to local musicians, and support clinical research into SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood).
In just 8 months of operation, Drew’s Tunes has exceeded all expectations. Over 650 people have attended events supporting Drew’s Tunes in Louisiana, raising awareness for SUDC across the state. The Drew’s Tunes Facebook page, which was established in July, has almost 10,000 likes and over 225 children have been directly impacted through the gift of music.
A Little Boys Legacy Making Big Impact:
Drew’s Tunes, and before Drew’s Tunes was formed the Drew Joseph Boswell Memorial Fund, to date has donated over $36,000 to organizations that support Drew’s Tunes mission.
Some of the donations to date are:
* Over 225 local children have benefited from the musical resources (instruments, classes, performances) provided by Drew’s Tunes;
* $19,000 was donated to Anna’s Arts for Kids. These funds allowed Anna’s Arts to host a music camp, help fund their Spring Semester After-School Program and hire an experienced vocal coach.
* $12,500 has been donated to support the work of SUDC;
* $500 was donated to the Guardians of the Flame, in a joint effort with the New Orleans Musicians Clinic;
* Over 200 instruments have been donated to local music programs and schools including Music Collaborative, Make Music NOLA, and the Wilcox Early Learning Center.
More information: http://www.drewstunes.org/ .
Contact:
To learn more about Drew’s Tunes, please contact
Georgia Boswell, Vice-President
georgiab@drewstunes.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drews-Tunes/368665189954308 .
Twitter: @Drews_Tunes
*IMAGE (proclamation): Send2Press.com/mediaboom/15-0302-SUDCAwareness-Month-300dpi.jpg .
To view the original version on Send2Press Newswire, visit: https://www.send2press.com/newswire/governor-bobby-jindal-proclaims-march-sudden-unexplained-death-in-childhood-awareness-month-state-of-louisiana-2015-0302-005.shtml.
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