1977 - 1987
- Victorian organisation founded in 1977 by Kaarene Fitzgerald following the death of Glenn on Sunday 10 July, one of 18 Victorian babies to die that July
- Queensland SIDS organisation founded by Michele Freemantle, following the death of her and husband Morrie’s son Todd in 1977
- SIDA (Sudden Infant Death Association) NSW founded in 1977 by a group of parents who experienced the death of a baby from SIDS
- Western Australian SIDS organisation founded in 1977 by a group of parents who experienced the death of a baby from SIDS
- The inaugural meeting of the Sudden Infant Death Association for ACT and Southern NSW held in Canberra on 17 November 1978 by a group of parents whose babies had died from SIDS, later becoming as the Sudden Infant Death Association for the ACT and Southern Districts Incorporated
- Following the death of their son, Gary and Jenny Hamilton identify the need for support and information for bereaved parents in the Hunter Region. Clara Foster becomes the driving force for the association following the death of her son in 1979
- In 1981 SANDS (SA) is registered as a support group and began providing 24hr phone support
- In 1982 SANDS (SA) established Advisory Group and began providing parent support training
- In 1985 SANDS TAS Groups in the Northwest and South were formed
- In 1986 SANDS NSW is established and SANDS QLD group becomes incorporated
- In 1987 the first SANDS National Conference is held
1988 - 1998
- In 1988 the first national Red Nose Day is held – asking Australian to “get silly for a serious cause”
- In 1988 Sands Australia is formed
- After Hours Telephone Support Service established and First Emergency Responders’ Manual launched
- “Reducing the Risks” health promotion campaign begins, with more than 200,000 brochures distributed
- Regional bereavement support established with Barwon Paediatric Bereavement Program at Geelong
- In 1989, SANDS ACT is formed and SANDS TAS is incorporated
- Several publications are created to support bereaved parents
- Event Scene Investigations for all sudden infant deaths in Victoria and paediatric pathologist funded by SIDRF
- The Wiggles perform on Red Nose Day in their first live TV performance
- Bereavement support booklets by families for families developed
- Red Nose support groups and Parent Supporter training established
1999 - 2009
- SANDS Australia becomes incorporated and the incorporation of the Sands Research Fund occurs
- Across the country, State Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages agree to issue certificates for stillborn babies prior to 1986
- Perinatal death becomes the major source of referrals to the Red Nose bereavement support service
- In 2001 SANDS NSW merge with Sids and Kids NSW
- In 2001 SANDS WA merge with SIDS and KIDS WA
- The Treasured Babies’ Program established in 2002
- The Kaarene Fitzgerald Lecture and Research Fellowship established in 2005 through the Monash Institute for Medical Research
- Resources developed for the CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) communities
- SIDSwa Annual Red Nose Day Ball rated in top 10 social events in 2002
- SIDSwa incorporated with Sands WA in 2000, followed by SIDAnsw merges and Sands NSW to become SIDS & Kids NSW in 2002
- Reducing the Risk of SUDI in First Nation Communities (RROSIAC) program established in 2005
- Collaboration with Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) on national guidelines and standards for care and management of families experiencing stillbirth
- In 2008, Red Nose clothing collection program established in Victoria
- In 2009, Walk to Remember annual event launched
2010 - 2017
- In 2010, SANDS establishes a single 1300 line across the country providing 24/7 peer support
- Following a review of the evidence, a sixth recommendation ‘Breastfeed baby’ is added to the Safe Sleeping public health campaign in 2012
- SIDS & Kids Victoria and SIDS & Kids NSW merge in August 2012 to become SIDS & Kids NSW/Victoria, with Peter Kaye as the inaugural Chairperson
- SIDS and Kids WA merges with SIDS and Kids Limited in November 2014
- Professor Rosemary Horne is appointed Chair of the National Scientific Advisory Group in July 2015
- SIDS & Kids QLD merges with SIDS and Kids Limited on 25 October 2015
- National SIDS Council of Australia and SIDS & Kids Hunter Region both merge with SIDS & Kids Limited on 1 April 2016
- A Trans-Tasman funding initiative, in collaboration with Cure Kids, is announced to support research projects aimed at improving the lives of babies and young children
- SIDS & Kids ACT merges with SIDS & Kids Limited on 12 October 2016
- SIDS & Kids Limited launches its new business name, Red Nose, at Parliament House, Canberra, on 13 October 2016, and pledges to eliminate all preventable deaths of babies and children during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood
- In March 2017, the Queensland Government announces funding for a safe sleeping program in First Nation communities that will provide 600 Pepi-Pods. The announcement follows a three year Pepi-Pod trial, which was funded by Red Nose
- Mr Theron Vassiliou is appointed CEO of Red Nose in May 2017
- In June 2017, Red Nose announces it will provide grants to support two research projects in the area of stillbirth prevention: a $99,750 grant to support the research study Preventing Term Stillbirth in South Asian Born Mothers: A stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial led by Dr Miranda Davies-Tuck, and a $99,255 grant to support the research study The effect of migration and acculturation on risk of stillbirth in Western Australia led by Assoc Prof Craig Pennell
- Red Nose Clothing and Collection is launched in South Australia in June 2017
- In July 2017, Red Nose and New Zealand charity Cure Kids announce that, through their Trans-Tasman research initiative, a grant will be awarded to support the research study: An individual participant data meta-analysis of going-to-sleep position and risk of late pregnancy stillbirth, led by Prof Lesley McCowan
- Red Nose celebrates its 40th anniversary in July 2017
- In July 2017, Red Nose announces the awarding of the $50,000 Kaarene Fitzgerald Post Doctoral Fellowship to Dr Fiona Bright to support her research study: Bridging the gap between human postmortem tissue analysis and animal models in SIDS research
- Red Nose introduces Pepi-Pods to Western Australia’s Kimberley region in late 2017 as part of the Reducing the Risk of SUDI in First Nation Communities program
- Mr Graham Henderson steps down as Chair of Red Nose after 13 years as a Board member
- Mr Craig Heatley is elected Chair of Red Nose in November 2017
2018 - 2022
- In 2018, Sands state-based organisations vote to unify
- Red Nose Day’s 30th anniversary is celebrated in 2018
- In December, Keren Ludski is appointed as CEO of Red Nose, and the organisation recommits itself to reduce the nine deaths per day and to ensuring that every grieving family receives the support they need, when they need it, and for as long as they need it
- In 2019 Sands and Red Nose sign an agreement to join forces with the aim to support more bereaved families across Australia. Delays in finalising the arrangements occur as a result of Covid-19
- The World-First Hospital to Home program begins its trials in several hospitals
- In 2019, the first Say Their Name day is held on the 25th March, shining a light on important conversations around the stigma, shame and silence that follow the death of a baby
- November 2020, Red Nose and Sands Australia merge to create Australia’s leading organisation working both to prevent babies and young children dying suddenly and unexpectedly, and supporting families following the tragic death of their baby or child during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood
- The Hospital to Home program receives refunding
- Red Nose provide advice for pregnant families, babies and children around Coronavirus
- In 2019, the first Annual Safe Sleep Week is held, ensuring new parents and carers continue to get vital Safe Sleep information
- In 2020 Red Nose Day is held and launches Australia’s first ever digital Red Nose
- Red Nose is awarded $1.5 million from the Australian government to deliver a national stillbirth awareness campaign to help reduce the unacceptably high rates of stillbirth in Australia. The campaign launched in early 2021
- The Fathers of Loss video series is launched to help support bereaved dads and let their friends and family know how they can better support bereaved fathers
- The Hospital to Home program receives 4.2 million in funding from the Federal Government to continue for 4 more years
- New baby safety brochures for First Nations families co-designed with community are released
- Red Nose faces unprecedented demand for baby and pregnancy loss counselling during the pandemic
2023 and beyond
- In March 2023 Craig Heatley resigns as Chairperson of the Red Nose Board
- Red Nose is awarded 3.2 million for the innovative Healing Through Community program
- In March 2023, the 5th annual Say Their Name Day occurs. The campaign encourages almost 30,000 Australians to sign a petition to parliament encouraging hospital bereavement rooms and stillbirth suites
- Nick Xenakis, a former member of the SANDS board, is announced as the new Red Nose Chairperson
- The Wiggles and Red Nose launch a limited edition Red Nose Day plush toys to help save little lives
- In August 2023, the 35th Annual Red Nose Day is held. Candice Warner, Irena Gilbert, Paul Field and many other celebrities help to raise funds to save little lives and support grieving families
