At the SUDC Foundation, we are guided by a simple yet powerful belief: every family deserves answers and that no one should grieve alone.
As President and mother of Vivienne, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 2016, 3 days after her 3rd birthday, I am honored to lead this extraordinary community—families, professionals, researchers, and advocates—who are united by love, driven by loss, and relentless in their pursuit of understanding. The pain of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood is profound, and the silence that surrounds it has lasted far too long. But together, we are changing that.

We are no longer just hoping for answers—we are actively building the path to find them. Through enhanced partnerships, innovative initiatives like our postmortem genetic testing program, and the formation of our new Scientific Grants Review Committee, we are investing in science that dares to ask the hardest questions—and refuses to settle for anything less than progress.

Supporting families is the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s providing grief support, fostering peer connections, or advocating for greater awareness, we are here—every step of the way. Because while we search for answers, we must also care deeply for those left behind.
As we look ahead, we are committed to being audacious in our next steps. We will think bigger, collaborate wider, and move faster—because our children deserve nothing less.

Thank you for standing with us in this mission. With your support, we are transforming loss into leadership, grief into action, and heartbreak into hope. With determination and compassion, and inspired every day by my daughter, Vivienne, and all the precious children gone too soon.

Julia Burgess
President, SUDC Foundation