By JULIE KEANE, Globe staff reporter
August 5, 2004

MADRID - After her nephew died two years ago to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), Charissa Frideres used a speech assignment and her faith in God to help her deal with the loss of her nephew. She now uses both to help educate others about SIDS.

"My work with SIDS education began about a year ago when I gave a presentation for my speech class" said Frideres, a senior from St. Malachy Parish. "From there it developed into a project for 4-H that went on to state fair. When I gave the presentation at state fair there was a woman that came up to me and said that she had lost a child to SIDS about ten years ago. She was really glad to see someone young and ambitious educating people. That really meant a lot to me."

Frideres said at this point she realized she could make a difference by educating others on the topic of SIDS. She talked with her mom about different options to help make the SIDS presentation more effective. Her mom and dad agreed to buy a lap-top computer so she could put her information into a slide show presentation.

She started giving the slide show presentation in January. She then gave a presentation to the SIDS Board and the local first responders.

"After giving the presentation to the SIDS Board, I was asked to work with the director of the SIDS Board," she said. "After talking with her, she agreed to let me help her educate people about SIDS."

Throughout her work with SIDS education she has traveled to Creston and Des Moines. She has talked at the SIDS Seminar in April where she gave the presentation to over 200 professional nurses, counselors and doctors. Frideres said this was very intimating for her since she was not used to speaking in that large of a group of people.

This last summer Frideres has continued her SIDS education with a new topic on how to deal with the loss of a child. She gave the presentation this summer at fair, which was selected to continue to state fair.

"This summer I have written a presentation on grieving after the loss of a child," she said. "I believe this is a silent epidemic for the whole world. It is an issue that most people are not very well educated about."

Although Frideres said educating people about SIDS and preparing the presentation is time consuming, it is well worth her time in the end.

"This is a side passion for me," Frideres said. "It takes up a lot of time. I hope if one person walks away educated on how to reduce the risks of a SIDS death I have accomplished my mission."

Helping educate others about SIDS not only accomplishes her mission, but also helped her deal with the loss of her own nephew.

"I think faith is a very important part of this," she said. "The work I have done with SIDS education centers on how I am grieving and how I am dealing with the death of my nephew. I think my faith had a lot to play, as it does with anyone who has faith during their grieving process. I have worked with some really great people through the local program at my church, it is just another good outlet for me to meet people and educate them."