Our collective voice is a powerful tool for change. Together, we can do something about stillbirth right now by working to get the bipartisan Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act (H.R. 5012/S. 2647) passed in 2024!

With SHINE under the spotlight since the June 12 unanimous passage out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, it’s important that we raise our voices together to help get the bill passed! We must leverage this momentum as we work to advance SHINE through BOTH the House and Senate. Your help in advocating for this vital legislation is essential.

In honor of the tens of thousands of babies stillborn every year in this country, we are asking you to take a minute out of your day to contact your U.S. Representative and Senators to urge them to prioritize stillbirth and the comprehensive SHINE for Autumn Act. *And if your member is a cosponsor (click on these 2 links to check) in the House or Senate, please feel free to thank them as well, for their support!

Since Autumn’s death in 2011, I’ve been working tirelessly to put stillbirth on the map in the United States. After years of repeatedly encountering the obstacle of insufficient funding as the primary barrier to progress in addressing the stillbirth crisis, I chose to pursue the bipartisan SHINE for Autumn Act, H.R. 5012/S. 2647, and I’m so proud of what we've accomplished!

SHINE aims to lower the staggering U.S. stillbirth rate by taking critical steps to invest in research, training for perinatal pathologists, enhanced education and awareness, and improved data collection required to better understand stillbirth, so that we can identify promising strategies for prevention. Without progress in these areas, we are very limited in what we can do to protect families and help them bring their babies home safely in their arms. Last Congress, SHINE (H.R. 5487), overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives (408-18), in 2 months’ time, highlighting the urgency and bipartisan nature of this issue.

Here's why SHINE is so crucial: Stillbirth remains a tragically neglected public health crisis, accounting for the deaths of over 21,000 babies annually in our country alone. Every day, US families endure the loss of approximately 60 babies; the equivalent to losing 3 classes of kindergarteners. Many of these deaths are preventable and occur in otherwise healthy, low-risk pregnancies. While stillbirth is a risk for all pregnancies, there are persistent and longstanding racial and ethnic disparities. Despite significant medical advancements, stillbirth rates have remained the same over the past 30 years. Given these alarming statistics, urgent action is imperative. There's no time to waste—let us unite and compel our federal lawmakers to address stillbirth as a public health crisis!

As a constituent your voice has the power to compel lawmakers to address stillbirth as a public health crisis. Your involvement is the key to driving change and creating much needed awareness. Act TODAY by completing (personalizing) the form email on the right-hand side of your screen to help prevent families nationwide from the lifelong devastation of stillbirth. Please circulate this widely amongst your personal + professional network and encourage them to participate as well. Everyone’s participation is essential in creating the groundswell of support that Congress cannot ignore. With your help, we can ensure that stillbirth is no longer ignored; and make a significant impact on the prioritization of stillbirth in the 118th Congress! Let’s make 2024 the year SHINE becomes law and stillbirth becomes a tragedy of the past!

Thank you for taking action today to create meaningful change that will ensure a brighter future for all!

-Debbie, Autumn’s mom

To learn more about SHINE and how you can help please click HERE.