Haley was a beautiful, happy and healthy little girl. On May 15, 2000, she passed away quietly in her sleep at the age of only 21 months. To this day we have no idea why she died.

Since Haley was more than 12 months old when she died, her death is not considered Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Instead, her death belongs to a lesser-known category, Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), which describes the death of healthy children after their first birthday. Since SUDC is just recently being recognized, few resources exist to explore possible causes and steps for its prevention.

Last year we sponsored the sixth-annual, Haley's 4th of July Run for a Reason, a benefit for the SUDC Program held in memory of Haley. The benefit featured a 5-mile Run and 2-mile Family Walk which was a part of Orinda's fun-filled 4th of July festivities. Hundreds of participants came to enjoy a yummy pancake breakfast, casual run/walk, silent auction, small-town parade, fun park activities and we raised more than $114,000 over the past five years! In 2011, there will be 10 Run for a Reason events taking place across the nation raising thousands of dollars for the SUDC Program.

This year, our 7th Annual Haley's Run for a Reason event will be held on Monday, July 4, 2011. The 5-mile run & 2-mile family walk will kick-off Orinda's 4th of July celebration in front of the Orinda Community Center. New this year is a scout patch for kids 12 & under! If they register and come in any costume, they can earn a scout patch! If they gather the most friends and family members to dress in a theme, they will win a $100 ice cream bash at Loard's Ice Cream! At 9 am, we will host our first kids 50-yard Dash for Haley! Prizes will be awarded for different age groups for kids 10 years and younger.

Please visit www.biddingforgood.com/haleysrunforareason to bid on fun and exciting items! The online auction will close on July 10 - so bid early and bid a lot to win those fabulous donated items!

While the SUDC Program is making progress, much work remains ahead.

To continue our pursuit of better understanding and preventing SUDC, we're asking for assistance from companies and organizations located in the Bay Area. Your generosity will play an instrumental role in minimizing this tragedy. Any gift you make is greatly appreciated - and fully tax deductible. To donate online, click here.


Thank you in advance for your gift. If you have any questions or comments, please email us.