Bill Text: NY J03020 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2020, as Sudden Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC) Awareness Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-03-10 - ADOPTED [J03020 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J03020-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 3020

BY: Senator LANZA

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        March  2020, as Sudden Unexplained Death in Children
        (SUDC) Awareness Month in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  this  Legislative  Body  to  recognize
official  months  that  are  set  aside to increase awareness of serious
health issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  it  is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2020,  as  Sudden
Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC) Awareness Month in the State of New
York,  in  conjunction  with  the  observance of National SUDC Awareness
Month; and

  WHEREAS, SUDC is the unexpected death of a child  over  the  age  of
one,  which  remains  unexplained after a thorough case investigation is
conducted; similar to SIDS, SUDC is a diagnosis of exclusion, given when
all known and possible causes of death have been ruled out; and

  WHEREAS, By definition, SIDS applies only to  the  death  of  babies
younger than 12 months, while SUDC victims are children past their first
birthday  whose  deaths  go  unexplained  even after an autopsy, a death
scene investigation and medical history review; and

  WHEREAS, SUDC is not new, but is rare with a reported  incidence  of
1.2  deaths per 100,000 children, compared to 54 deaths per 100,000 live
births for  SIDS  (United  States,  2005);  presently,  SUDC  cannot  be
predicted and/or prevented since its cause is unknown; and

  WHEREAS, Established in the fall of 2001, the SUDC Foundation offers
no  cost  services  to families who have lost a child for an unexplained
reason;  this  vital  organization  provides  grants  for  and  conducts
research  which  will  further  our  understanding  of  these mysterious
deaths; and

  WHEREAS, Currently, the SUDC Foundation supports over  800  families
in  18  countries  by  providing  personalized,  comprehensive care from
licensed clinical social workers, and cultivates a community of  support
for bereaved families so that no one has to grieve alone; and

  WHEREAS,  The Foundation also assists families in accessing research
and DNA banking services which could possibly lead to  answers  on  what
may have happened to their child; and

  WHEREAS,  Every  year, at least 400 children are lost to SUDC, which
is the fifth leading cause of death among children between the  ages  of
one and four; and

  WHEREAS,  Such  was  the case for young Lily Jo Jurgens, a perfectly
healthy girl who, at two years old, suddenly collapsed and  passed  away
on June 15, 2015; after her autopsy, it was determined she had succumbed
to SUDC; and


  WHEREAS,  The  family  of  Lily Jo Jurgens along with other families
from different parts of New York State are struggling to cope with  this
difficult situation as they have similar stories; and

  WHEREAS,  It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this serious health crisis, and more must be done to  increase  activity
at the State, local and national levels; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2020,  as  Sudden
Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC) Awareness Month in the State of New
York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York.