Twinkle, twinkle in your eyes.  Are you an angel in disguise?  –anonymous

Finnbar Samuel Boyd is a little angel. Literally.  He’s my nephew who died of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, at just two months and two days of age.  His twin sister turned three last November and we often wonder how much Finn would be like her today.  When he passed away, we had so many questions about what happened, how, and why.  SIDS is a baffling disease, the number one killer of infants from one month to one year of age.  It’s a heartbreaker, to say the least.  Researchers are working on finding the cause and have made great strides in unveiling risk factors.  The American SIDS Institute points out many of those factors can be controlled.  They suggest all children be put to sleep on their back, that babies not share beds with adults, that the crib offers a firm mattress with no extra bedding or toys. They also suggest no smoking around babies.  Meantime, they continue research to help with the things a parent can’t control—the biological causes of SIDS.  And that’s where you can help.  The American SIDS Institute is currently holding its annual fundraiser, Spring for SIDS, asking those who care to put a spring in their step and sunshine in their heart.  They ask that you donate what you can, with proceeds going to help pay for research of SIDS and promotion to build awareness.  Since the American SIDS Institute was founded in 1983 the annual number of deaths has decreased over half.  However, there are still about 2300 babies who die of SIDS each year in the US.  Having lost a sweet, innocent nephew to SIDS, I ask that you give what you can so we can eliminate SIDS completely, and make sure another family doesn’t have to endure the same heartache.

You can make a donation here (http://springforsids.org/make_a_donation.php).  We’d be honored if you wanted to post it in Finn’s name.