Team Taylor Family Fun Run Benefits Phoenix Children’s SIDS program
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
The heartbreak of losing a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is forever, and the Taylor family of Arcadia has turned heartbreak toward a mission to help other families.
From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, April 2, the Team Taylor Fun Run 5K is raising funds for Phoenix Children’s Safe Sleep & Home Safety Program, which works toward prevention of SIDS.
Mark and Katie Cosmas have hosted the Team Taylor Fun Run 5K for the past 11 years, raising more than $1 million in SIDS prevention and awareness, according to a press release.
At only five months old, their daughter, Taylor, never woke up from her routine nap. The Cosmas family turned their grief into passion to help find a cure for the tragic, unpredictable cause of death. SIDS, also called SUID (sudden unexpected infant death), is a large category of unexpected infant deaths, with 2,300 babies dying of SIDS in the United States each year. It is the leading cause of death for children one month to one year.
“There was nothing in Arizona to support the families who had lost their baby to SIDS,” Ms. Kosmas said in a prepared statement. “That’s when we decided to set up Team Taylor to give families a way to honor their loved ones as well as provide hope for an end to SIDS.”
Not just a run, this event helps connect families that have been impacted by the devastation of SIDS. For the Cosmas, this is an especially poignant year as they pass the baton to Phoenix Children’s, who will be stepping in to plan the run moving forward.
“We are beyond grateful that Mark and Katie have chosen to partner with Phoenix Children’s on this incredibly impactful event,” said Tim Harrison, vice president of corporate partnerships and special events at Phoenix Children’s Foundation. “We will honor Taylor by continuing to grow Team Taylor and raise funds for sleep safety.”
The 3-mile run is open to all ages and will cruise through the beautiful streets of Arcadia. The run will begin at 48th Street and the Arizona Canal. After the race, there will be an after party at OHSO Brewery & Distillery located at 4900 E. Indian School Road.