25 Feb SUDC Foundation Ambassador Spotlight: Kaori Kabota
A Mother’s Mission: Kaori Kabota’s Advocacy for SUDC Awareness in Japan
At the SUDC Foundation, we are incredibly grateful for the dedication and advocacy of parents who transform their grief into action. One such parent, Kaori Kabota, mother of Kohtaro and an SUDC Foundation Ambassador, has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) in Japan.
During her recent visit to Ebisu, Tokyo, Kaori took meaningful steps to educate her community about SUDC. She donated books in memory of Kohtaro to daycare facilities, equipping them with resources that included special bookplates honoring her son. She also provided SUDC Foundation materials to pediatric offices, ensuring that more families and medical professionals have access to critical information. Kaori’s advocacy extends beyond resource distribution—she is actively working with Japan’s Children and Families Agency to support their Child Death Review process, a crucial initiative that aims to improve understanding and response to unexplained child loss.
For Kaori, raising awareness is deeply personal. After losing Kohtaro, she sought a way to honor his memory and ensure his life made a lasting impact. As she shared:
“I want to share my journey of advocacy with the SUDC Foundation in memory of my beloved son, Kohtaro. Through this work, I hope to honor his life and ensure that more families, researchers, and policymakers become aware of SUDC. As we can’t provide care for Kohtaro anymore, this has been the only way I can think of what I can do for Kohtaro and other kids who were gone too soon. I want to give Kohtaro good news when I see him again.”
Kaori’s advocacy began in the workplace when she returned after taking time off following Kohtaro’s passing. She bravely shared SUDC Awareness Month with her HR department, leading to a company-wide town hall discussion on SUDC. Though she was nervous, she knew that taking this step could help educate her colleagues about this little-known cause of childhood loss. Her courage sparked action—one of her colleagues dedicated an annual workplace bike ride to SUDC awareness, further amplifying the message.
Understanding the lack of SUDC awareness in Japan, Kaori collaborated with the SUDC Foundation to translate educational materials into Japanese. With the support of her mother’s friends, she refined the messaging to better connect with Japanese families and policymakers. Her efforts caught the attention of Japan’s Children and Families Agency, which is now enhancing the country’s Child Death Review process—an essential step in preventing future tragedies.
Kaori acknowledges that no amount of advocacy will bring Kohtaro back, but she finds strength in knowing that her work may help other families avoid the same heartbreak.
“It is so hard to realize none of these would bring our sweet Kohtaro back, but I am grateful that the SUDC Foundation is here with us on a difficult journey.”
Kaori’s story is a powerful reminder that one person’s voice can create lasting change. By sharing Kohtaro’s memory, she has inspired her workplace, her country, and the global SUDC community to take action.
If you are inspired by Kaori’s journey and would like to raise awareness in your community, we invite you to become an SUDC Foundation Ambassador.