PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The sudden, unexplained loss of a seemingly healthy infant incites a unique pain, a deep grief and an incomprehensible void only truly understood by those who have experienced it. That’s why hundreds of family members who have lost infants to SUID (Sudden Unexplained Infant Death), SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), miscarriage, or stillbirth deaths will come together to walk in Cribs for Kids® Eleventh Annual Breath of Life Stroll on Sunday, September 22, 2019, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. along the North Shore Trail. The Breath of Life Stroll begins at 810 River Avenue (near the 16th Street Bridge) and progresses toward PNC Park on the North Shore.
“The Breath of Life Stroll provides a safe and supportive environment for families to celebrate the memories of the infants who have left us too soon,” said Judy Bannon, the executive director and founder of Cribs for Kids®, a Pittsburgh non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the rate of infant sleep-related deaths. “This walk also helps raise awareness regarding life-saving information including infant safe sleep practices and environments. While September is designated as Safe Sleep Awareness Month, we want safe sleep practices to be observed and applied every day of every month.”
The Breath of Life Stroll is a fundraiser for Cribs for Kids®, and walkers are encouraged to walk in teams and raise money to help Cribs for Kids® fulfill its mission. All money raised during this event supports the Cribs for Kids® program to help continue the life-saving mission of helping every baby sleep safer. Every $50 raised provides a safe sleeping environment for a family in need.
“Every $50 that a team raises can make a difference and help save a life,” said Bannon. “It’s a day to work toward our ultimate goal: to eliminate infant sleep-related deaths. But it’s also a day to celebrate and we intend to make it an unforgettable event for all who participate.”
In addition to the Stroll, the day includes food, games, crafts and other activities for children of all ages, including:
- The City of Pittsburgh first responders will be there to show off their emergency response vehicles.
- Puppetworks will perform a puppet show for the children.
- Special appearances will be made by Marvel characters and other superheroes.
- A caricature artist and balloon twister will be present.
- Community resources and vendors will be present and providing activities for the children.
For more information about the Breath of Life Stroll, please visit www.cribsforkids.org or contact Cribs for Kids® at (412) 322-5680 ext. 4.
About Cribs for Kids - Cribs for Kids is a national infant safe-sleep education program that helps to reduce the risk of SIDS, injury and death of infants due to accidental suffocation, asphyxia, or undetermined causes in unsafe sleeping environments. Since 1998, Cribs for Kids has been making an impact on reducing the rate of infant sleep-related deaths by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing safe sleep and providing portable cribs to families who otherwise cannot afford a safe place for their babies to sleep.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Cribs for Kids currently has more than 1400 partners throughout the United States implementing infant safe-sleep programs in their communities. Visit cribsforkids.org for more information.
