11 Aug 11th August 2023 is Red Nose Day. It is a day of fundraising where people come together to raise money for Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by wearing red noses and acting silly. SIDS is the unexplained death or a young baby, usually during sleep.

Funds raised on Red Nose Day over the last 30 years have resulted in an incredible 80 per cent reduction in sudden infant deaths. That’s 11,618 babies saved and counting.

Red Nose Day sparked a global movement and catalysed research into the reasons why babies die suddenly in their sleep. And because of that, we now have six evidence-based steps all parents can take to reduce the risk of their baby dying in their sleep.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible public support for Red Nose Day. But the fight must continue. And we still need your help. Because more than 3,000 babies still die suddenly and unexpectedly each year in Australia. We are losing them to stillbirth, SIDS among other things. 3,000 little lives taken before they’ve had the chance to grow up – that’s 9 little lives taken every single day. And 9 Australian families devastated, every single day.

The latest research tells us that more than a third of new parents don’t know how to safely sleep their baby, and that many expectant parents don’t know that there are steps they can take to reduce their risk of stillbirth.

With 300,000 babies born each year – and 180,000 to first time parents – it’s vital we keep the pressure on. Because we know what happens when the messages stop getting through.

While we know that not all deaths are preventable, there are many things parents can do to reduce the risk of it happening. And that’s why Red Nose Day is still so important.

To find how you can get involved with Red Nose Day, go to https://www.rednoseday.org.au/get-involved