A family has turned the loss of their child into an event to make a difference for others in our area. It all ties into "Jog For Jude" which will take place in Lackawanna County this Sunday. The 5K and 1 mile fun run/walk was created in honor of Jude Zayac. The little boy from Dunmore died in July of 2014 at three months old from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or S.I.D.S. Doctors describe it as a silent killer that shuts down a baby's respiratory system.
"Jog For Jude" will step-off this Sunday at 9 a.m. from the Dunmore Community Center at 1414 Monroe Avenue. Although online registration is now closed, you can still sign up the day of or the day prior during packet pickup at the Dunmore Community Center on Saturday from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. The cost to get involved is $25.00.
Money raised this year will be divided up between St. Joseph's Baby Pantry in Dunmore and the rest will go toward S.I.D.S. research at Boston Children's Research Hospital. To learn more about the actual race, click here! To learn more about the baby pantry, head here! There, you can find out more information about this nonprofit that helps children of families in need along with view the pantry's "wish list."
As for the latest on S.I.D.S., here's what one doctor had to say about the ongoing research to find a cure:
"Our research has found abnormalities in brain regions involved in the control of vital functions in about 40% of the SIDS infants. These brain abnormalities suggest there is an intrinsic vulnerability for risk for sudden death in these babies. Our findings provide evidence that SIDS is not a mystery but a disorder that we can investigate with scientific methods, and some day, may be able to identify and treat."
- Dr. Hannah Kinney, MD, Neuropathologist and Lead SIDS Researcher, Boston Children's Hospital
