Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Awareness Month
WHEREAS, Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a category of death in children between the ages of 1 and 18 that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy; and,
WHEREAS, each year there are approximately 400 cases of SUDC in the United States – including more than 200 younger children between the ages of 1 and 4 – who die without any clear cause or explanation; and,
WHEREAS, while less common than sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which occurs before the first birthday, SUDC is an important health concern deserving of increased public awareness and research; and,
WHEREAS, SUDC is the 5th leading category of death among children ages 1 to 4 in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, there currently is no way to predict or prevent SUDC as its cause is unknown; and,
WHEREAS, it is hoped that future research will identify means by which SUDC can be prevented; and,
WHEREAS, we recognize the dedicated efforts of organizations such as the SUDC Foundation, medical professionals, medicolegal death investigators and volunteers who are working to better understand the causes of SUDC, improve the health of infants and children and provide much-needed hope and support for those families grieving the heartbreaking sudden, unexplained death of a child; and,
WHEREAS, Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Awareness Month provides an opportunity to honor the memory of the young lives that ended too soon, show encouragement and support for the families and loved ones devastated by their loss and increase public awareness of SUDC and the ongoing search for answers;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize March 2022 as SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH IN CHILDHOOD AWARENESS MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.
