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Our Kidde Hero of the Week spotlights a great non-profit called Simon's Fund.
Kix saw this story on People.com and wanted to share it with you:
Darren and Phyllis Sudman of Philadelphia unexpectedly lost their three month-old baby Simon when he didn’t wake up from his nap ten years ago. Confused and shocked, they met with their doctor who said healthy babies don’t just pass away and they needed to get their hearts checked.
Well, they did and learned that Phyllis had a heart defect and that most likely baby Simon had inherited it. Phyllis was then successfully treated, but she and her husband were surprised to learn that children are not regularly screened for heart health. The couple was determined to do something about it, so they started raising money to launch their nonprofit – Simon's Fund.
In the ten years since, the Sudmans have raised more than one million and provided free cardiac screenings – mostly in school gymnasiums – to nearly 11 thousand kids. They have uncovered treatable – and, in some cases, potentially fatal – heart problems in about one hundred children. They’ve also gotten laws passed in six states that require coaches to bench student athletes with signs of possible sudden cardiac arrest (fainting during exercise, extreme shortness of breath, dizziness) until they’re cleared by a doctor.
Today, Phyllis says that although baby Simon was only on Earth a very brief time, he’s had such an important impact… They are literally saving lives!
For more information about Simon's Fund, check out their official website.
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