MEDIA ADVISORY: TDH Celebrates Significant Decrease in Sleep-related Infant Deaths

NASHVILLE – First Lady Crissy Haslam and Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, will join other state and local officials in Nashville Thursday, Feb. 25 to celebrate the success of the statewide initiative to reduce sleep-related deaths among infants. TDH has partnered with the Charlie’s Kids Foundation and Tennessee hospitals since 2014 to help new parents and hospital staff members learn the “ABCs of Safe Sleep.” Tennessee has seen a 25 percent reduction in sleep-related deaths of infants during this period.

The Charlie’s Kids Foundation will deliver 86,000 copies of the Sleep Baby Safe and Snug board book for Tennessee hospitals to continue providing a copy to each baby born in their facility in 2016. The books will arrive in the Charlie’s Kids truck at Bicentennial Mall; with this shipment, the foundation will mark delivery of one million Sleep Baby books, a milestone reached through partnership with TDH and Tennessee hospitals.

The celebration will start with an opportunity to meet Charlie’s Kids Foundation Co-founders Dr. Sam and Maura Hanke, who established the organization after losing their first child to sudden infant death syndrome. The Charlie’s Kids truck will be available for photos and the Sleep Baby Safe and Snug author will be available for book signing. A luncheon will follow at the Tennessee Residence to recognize Tennessee hospitals that have received the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Certification. First Lady Crissy Haslam and Dr. Dreyzehner will speak at the luncheon and be available for media interviews following the event.

Who:        Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam

                    John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Tennessee Health Commissioner

                    Michael Warren, MD, MPH, Assistant Commissioner of Family Health & Wellness, TDH

                    Sam Hanke, MD, Charlie’s Kids Foundation President

                    Judy Bannon, Cribs for Kids Founder and Executive Director

                    John Hutton, MD, Author of Sleep Baby Safe and Snug

                    Jackie Moreland, RN, BSN, MS, Tennessee Hospital Association

What:       Celebration of Tennessee’s efforts to reduce sleep-related infant deaths

When:      Thursday, Feb. 25

Where:     9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Central time

                    Bicentennial Mall State Park*

                    600 James Robertson Parkway

                    Nashville, Tenn.  37243

*Event will take place near large state map located on James Robertson Parkway near the  railroad trestle

                   Noon – 2 p.m. Central time

                   The Tennessee Residence**

                   Conservation Hall        

                   882 Curtiswood Lane South

                   Nashville, Tenn.  37204

**Luncheon will include remarks by First Lady Crissy Haslam and Commissioner Dreyzehner and opportunity for media interviews

***Members of the media are invited to cover both the Bicentennial Mall meet-and-greet and the luncheon at the Tennessee Residence. Media members planning to cover the Tennessee Residence event should RSVP by Monday, Feb. 22 to Shelley.Walker@tn.gov.