We all have experiences that are so meaningful -- personally and professionally -- that we always remember. I'll never forget walking through South Africa with a group of people all committed to making sure babies were born free of HIV and that their mothers would be able to live in good health and care for them. I have also walked hand-in-hand with brain cancer survivors and cheered marathon runners to raise awareness for many worthwhile causes.
There is nothing more empowering than being part of a sea of people committed to changing the world. It's those moments that inspired Safe Kids to find a way to highlight our cause by giving all parents a chance to come together over the one thing we care about most: our kids.
Few people realize that preventable injuries are the number one killer of kids in the United States and a serious problem around the globe. Each year, more than one million children die from preventable injuries -- that's one child every 30 seconds -- and millions more are injured in ways that can affect them for a lifetime.
Can you imagine losing a child to an injury that could have been prevented?
When a child dies or is seriously injured, the lives of families and entire communities are changed forever. Too many families don't have access to the information they need to keep their children safe from tragedies such as drowning, car crashes, fires, and falls.
But these injuries don't have to happen. The important thing to know about preventable injuries is that they're preventable.
Since 1988 when Safe Kids was founded by Children's National Medical Center with support from Johnson & Johnson, we've been working with partners throughout the United States and around the world to keep kids safe from preventable injuries. And we've made progress -- a 55 percent decrease in the unintentional injuries among children.
But losing one child is one too many, and we don't want any parent to have to endure the loss of a child. We can and we must do better for kids and families.
With this in mind, we rallied our troops and declared May 18 as Safe Kids Day -- a day for communities to raise awareness and resources, and get involved so we can ensure that all children have the chance to grow up healthy and safe, and do all the great things kids were meant to do.
Celebrities are getting involved, too. Fashion photographer Nigel Barker, Top Chef personality Josie Smith-Malave, and U.S. Olympian Kristy Kowal are teaming up at a fabulous fun-filled event for the whole family at the Highline Stages in New York City sponsored by Children's Tylenol.
In honor of Safe Kids Day, we've created a "Safer in 7" challenge we want every family to take. When it comes to safety for children, we think about the basics: buckle up, wear a helmet, learn to swim, look both ways. But we sometimes forget some of the lesser-known things parents should think about such as button batteries, smoke alarms, and the dangers of distraction.
From the second our babies are born, we know we will do anything within our power to protect them. Join us on May 18 as we launch a movement to celebrate and protect all kids so they can grow up to be whatever they can imagine. Together, I know we can.
See seven tips for keeping your kids safe here.