Shine Blue is River’s Gift’s annual giving day, created to raise vital funds for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) research and education. This special day honoured the legacy of baby River Waddell, who tragically passed away in his sleep in 2011 at just four months of age. From that moment on, his parents dedicated their lives to making a difference — turning heartbreak into hope.
The campaign grew into a national movement, with River’s Gift inviting supporters to Shine Blue on Friday, November 7, 2025, as we marked River’s 14th angel anniversary.
Across Australia, schools and businesses came together — proudly wearing our iconic blue heart temporary hand tattoos. These tattoos sparked important conversations, raised awareness, and encouraged fundraising to help save babies’ lives.
Children (and many adults too!) loved their vibrant blue heart tattoos and proudly wore their ‘heart on their hand’ — it created so much joy and excitement! Most importantly, together we raised over $40,000 to support vital SIDS research.
Through Shine Blue, communities united to fund life-saving research and help create a safer future for all babies.
We warmly invite your school, childcare service or business to be part of Shine Blue 2026. If you joined us in previous years, we would love to welcome you back. Now is the perfect time to mark it in your calendar for early November next year.
Registering early means you’ll receive priority updates, fresh campaign resources, and engaging materials to help your students get involved and excited. Every child who participates, every meaningful discussion, and every dollar raised helps us move closer to reducing SIDS and supporting families across Australia.
To secure your place for 2026, email kwaddell@riversgift.org
Together, let’s make Shine Blue 2026 our most impactful year yet. Thank you for continuing to stand with us and for being part of a community committed to saving babies’ lives.
