A local doctor is raising awareness for Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood awareness month.

Dr. Erin Bowen lost her 17-month-old son back in 2016, and since then, she's made it her mission to help other families going through the same tragedy.

“I think it’s hard for us to think about death in children," Dr. Bowen of Orange Pediatrics says. "But if we don’t talk about it, we’re not going to learn more about it."

Sudden unexplained death in children is the fifth leading cause of death in toddlers, Dr. Bowen says, and research remains largely underfunded and under-recognized.

The Milford mom is now vice president of the SUDC Foundation (https://sudc.org/), which advocates for federal funding, and provides families in need with support.

“It’s provided support to many families over the years," Dr. Bowen says. "It currently provides support to over 2,000 families in 25 countries."

Dr. Bowen also started a website to honor her son's legacy called Kisses for Conor.