Viviennes Joy Foundation

Vivienne’s Joy Foundation was established in memory of Vivienne Claire Burgess, a vibrant and joyful girl who passed away at the age of three from Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). Our mission is to bring awareness to SUDC, support bereaved families, and bring joy to others. 

One of the signature programs we’ve been proud to support over the past five years is the SUDC Foundation Community Retreat, which will take place next year in our home state of Minnesota. Vivienne’s Joy Foundation is once again the Premier Sponsor of this restorative weekend, an extraordinary gathering where bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents step into a space of deep understanding, one where every person instinctively knows the weight each family carries. For our own family, this retreat has been a sacred place to honor Vivienne, to find moments of peace, and to build connections that have helped us feel far less alone. This year, we are expanding our charitable impact by strengthening the SUDC Foundation’s work to advance scientific collaboration at leading children’s research institutions, efforts that are deeply personal to our family. By increasing access to research, addressing the most pressing questions, and accelerating progress toward understanding SUDC, these partnerships bring families like ours, closer to the answers we urgently seek and, ultimately, to preventing these heartbreaking tragedies. 

On this Give to the Max Day, I hope you’ll consider supporting Vivienne’s Joy Foundation. Together, we can welcome families to Minnesota with hometown pride, advance promising research, and provide hope and healing for all those affected by SUDC. Your generosity directly fuels this vital work. Thank you!

During the last 8 years we have raised over $720,000 thanks to the support of amazing individuals like you!  

1. We have provided $156,000 of grants to the SUDC Foundation.  
2. During 2018 we completed our first major initiative to redevelop the playground at Boyd Park in St Paul, MN and raised over $300K.  Over 1000 volunteers came together during a week in September to build the playground.  
3. In 2021 we provided a grant of $10,000 to support a groundbreaking research project through the SUDC Foundation which will examine grief responses and coping strategies of families affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child. This study will fill a glaring gap in current bereavement research, which until now has only focused on parents who have lost an infant or child under the age of one.  
4. In 2021 we also gave the gift of the new book “Unexplained Pediatric Deaths” to every Coroner and Medical Examiner in Minnesota.  This book offers the FIRST national consensus guidelines to fill crucial needs to help identify why these deaths occur and how to support families after these tragedies happen, and

We want to continue to support the SUDC Foundation in their support of families and their groundbreaking research.  

WE NEED YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!

Vivienne's Joy Foundation is a tax exempt organization and all donations are tax deductible. 

Thank you to all our supporters who help us continue Vivienne's legacy!

Vivienne's Joy Story