About Meghan's Hope and our Mission
Meghan’s Hope was born out of both love and grief. My goal was simple, to prevent any other child from dying the way my beautiful Meggie did.
It has grown from a simple one page website to a world-wide go-to resource on tip-over prevention and safety, particularly the Meghan's Hope Facebook Page. Kimberly (Meghan's mom) has been interviewed by local and national TV and print media outlets, presents locally and nationally on the subject of child and home safety, and is considered a thought leader when it comes to advocacy and tip-over awareness and prevention. Meghan's Hope is also a member of the International Association for Child Safety.
Kimberly's blog post Be With Me. Just for Today, went viral around the world and in a matter of weeks, compelled tens of thousands of parents to secure their furniture.
Thus far, the numbers of small children injured and killed by furniture and television tip-over is only climbing. 71 children every single day are injured or killed when a piece of furniture, a TV, or an appliance falls on them. A child dies on average every 2 weeks. Every 45 minutes a child is seen in the ER because a TV fell on them. The children that survive these accidents may be left with severe and debilitating lifelong injuries. ALL of them can be prevented.
Our mission is simple. To educate the public about the very real danger that a child can be severely injured or killed by falling furniture, televisions, and appliances and that it happens in an instant. No one EVER expects "it" will happen to their child. I'm here to tell you "it" CAN happen to your child. You can be in the same room and be powerless to protect your child from a tip-over. Small pieces of furniture and very heavy pieces of furniture all pose risks. The dresser that killed Meghan is pictured here. Surprised? She weight 28 pounds. It weighs about 150 pounds.
You could be the best, most safety conscious parent ever, but if your furniture and TV's are not secured, they could be deadly. Never, ever, assume "it" can't happen to you. No parent is truly watching their child 24/7. Meghan died while we were all sleeping. Parents have been in the same room when a TV or dresser fell on their child and simply couldn't stop it from happening.
Awareness and prevention are what saves lives. That is what Meghan's Hope is all about.
We want to reach everyone who knows, cares for, teaches, or works with children. We want them to take the few minutes and spend the few dollars that could very well save the life of a child they love and care for.
We want to educate parents, grandparents, childcare providers, teachers, childbirth educators, CPR and First Aid instructors, nurses, doctors, counselors, hotel owners, those who run church halls where scouting, religious education, and child centered events happen, hotels and any public space where furniture and TV's are unsecured. We need the help of those who work in retail and sell childproofing supplies, furniture, and televisions, and are otherwise in a position to educate are our target audience to help us educate. Those who make the laws and set the safety standards of manufacturing for furniture, TV's and large electronics, and appliances are also in our sight. It's everyone's job to protect our children!
We hope to see the day that all furniture and televisions are sold with warning labels stating that it poses a risk of injury or death due to tip over. We wish to see all furniture that could potentially tip and all televisions are sold with a tethering device appropriate for the weight of that piece, fully loaded + 50 lbs (to simulate a child's weight pulling or climbing) and directions on how to properly and safely secure it to the wall. We’ve already begun to see this positive change as a result of our efforts. It is not yet universal.
We want to see furniture safety straps sold EVERYWHERE baby/child supplies are sold, right next to the outlet covers. We’d also like to see them sold at stores where furniture and televisions are sold along with information about why you’d want to purchase them.
We want those TV and Furniture straps weight tested for safety and those weight limits clearly stated on package labels.
We have had two bills, both titled The Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act introduced to the US House of Representatives. One in 2005 and one in 2009. There have been several petitions in an attempt to get the issue before Congress again, all have been unsuccessful. Our focus has shifted to the manufacturers and those who sell furniture and restraining devices.
The CPSC and ASTM have taken notice as a result of our efforts and the help of the media, who have brought these dangers to light by writing and airing stories about their tragic deaths, and have recommended some changes in their standards as a result of our advocacy. It is a step in the right direction, and certain types of 'storage' furniture is now sold with a restraining device, but those devices are not tested nor are they usually sufficient to safely secure the furniture to the wall. This gives parents a false sense of security and puts the manufacturer at a liability risk. We want them to do it right. While I am thrilled that there are now limited voluntary standards, there are no mandatory standards. And 71 children every single day are injured or killed as a result. We can do better. We have to do better!
I am honored to be partnering with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on their Anchor it and Protect a Child campaign on tip-over awareness. We need your help! Share the tip-over infographic this website and the Meghan's Hope Facebook Page through your social media pages. Inform your friends, family, co-workers, and anyone who does not have their TV's and furniture secured of the dangers and point them toward our site so they can learn to make their homes and the children they love safer.
I also work with Katie's Foundation For Child Safety as a member of their Board of Directors. Katie is Meghan’s friend in the next place and the loss of our daughters has brought us together in our mission and our desire to share the legacy of our daughters and prevent any other parent from ever knowing our pain.
Meghan's death and the journey that is Meghan's Hope has inspired Kimberly to help others through their grief. Kimberly also recently published a book for bereaved parents and those who support and care for them on coping with the loss of a child called Out of the Darkness: Coping with and Recovering From the Death of a Child. It is available on Amazon.com.
If you wish to learn more, request an interview, invite Kimberly to speak at your event, or help us in our mission please contact us today!
It has grown from a simple one page website to a world-wide go-to resource on tip-over prevention and safety, particularly the Meghan's Hope Facebook Page. Kimberly (Meghan's mom) has been interviewed by local and national TV and print media outlets, presents locally and nationally on the subject of child and home safety, and is considered a thought leader when it comes to advocacy and tip-over awareness and prevention. Meghan's Hope is also a member of the International Association for Child Safety.
Kimberly's blog post Be With Me. Just for Today, went viral around the world and in a matter of weeks, compelled tens of thousands of parents to secure their furniture.
Thus far, the numbers of small children injured and killed by furniture and television tip-over is only climbing. 71 children every single day are injured or killed when a piece of furniture, a TV, or an appliance falls on them. A child dies on average every 2 weeks. Every 45 minutes a child is seen in the ER because a TV fell on them. The children that survive these accidents may be left with severe and debilitating lifelong injuries. ALL of them can be prevented.
Our mission is simple. To educate the public about the very real danger that a child can be severely injured or killed by falling furniture, televisions, and appliances and that it happens in an instant. No one EVER expects "it" will happen to their child. I'm here to tell you "it" CAN happen to your child. You can be in the same room and be powerless to protect your child from a tip-over. Small pieces of furniture and very heavy pieces of furniture all pose risks. The dresser that killed Meghan is pictured here. Surprised? She weight 28 pounds. It weighs about 150 pounds.
You could be the best, most safety conscious parent ever, but if your furniture and TV's are not secured, they could be deadly. Never, ever, assume "it" can't happen to you. No parent is truly watching their child 24/7. Meghan died while we were all sleeping. Parents have been in the same room when a TV or dresser fell on their child and simply couldn't stop it from happening.
Awareness and prevention are what saves lives. That is what Meghan's Hope is all about.
We want to reach everyone who knows, cares for, teaches, or works with children. We want them to take the few minutes and spend the few dollars that could very well save the life of a child they love and care for.
We want to educate parents, grandparents, childcare providers, teachers, childbirth educators, CPR and First Aid instructors, nurses, doctors, counselors, hotel owners, those who run church halls where scouting, religious education, and child centered events happen, hotels and any public space where furniture and TV's are unsecured. We need the help of those who work in retail and sell childproofing supplies, furniture, and televisions, and are otherwise in a position to educate are our target audience to help us educate. Those who make the laws and set the safety standards of manufacturing for furniture, TV's and large electronics, and appliances are also in our sight. It's everyone's job to protect our children!
We hope to see the day that all furniture and televisions are sold with warning labels stating that it poses a risk of injury or death due to tip over. We wish to see all furniture that could potentially tip and all televisions are sold with a tethering device appropriate for the weight of that piece, fully loaded + 50 lbs (to simulate a child's weight pulling or climbing) and directions on how to properly and safely secure it to the wall. We’ve already begun to see this positive change as a result of our efforts. It is not yet universal.
We want to see furniture safety straps sold EVERYWHERE baby/child supplies are sold, right next to the outlet covers. We’d also like to see them sold at stores where furniture and televisions are sold along with information about why you’d want to purchase them.
We want those TV and Furniture straps weight tested for safety and those weight limits clearly stated on package labels.
We have had two bills, both titled The Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act introduced to the US House of Representatives. One in 2005 and one in 2009. There have been several petitions in an attempt to get the issue before Congress again, all have been unsuccessful. Our focus has shifted to the manufacturers and those who sell furniture and restraining devices.
The CPSC and ASTM have taken notice as a result of our efforts and the help of the media, who have brought these dangers to light by writing and airing stories about their tragic deaths, and have recommended some changes in their standards as a result of our advocacy. It is a step in the right direction, and certain types of 'storage' furniture is now sold with a restraining device, but those devices are not tested nor are they usually sufficient to safely secure the furniture to the wall. This gives parents a false sense of security and puts the manufacturer at a liability risk. We want them to do it right. While I am thrilled that there are now limited voluntary standards, there are no mandatory standards. And 71 children every single day are injured or killed as a result. We can do better. We have to do better!
I am honored to be partnering with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on their Anchor it and Protect a Child campaign on tip-over awareness. We need your help! Share the tip-over infographic this website and the Meghan's Hope Facebook Page through your social media pages. Inform your friends, family, co-workers, and anyone who does not have their TV's and furniture secured of the dangers and point them toward our site so they can learn to make their homes and the children they love safer.
I also work with Katie's Foundation For Child Safety as a member of their Board of Directors. Katie is Meghan’s friend in the next place and the loss of our daughters has brought us together in our mission and our desire to share the legacy of our daughters and prevent any other parent from ever knowing our pain.
Meghan's death and the journey that is Meghan's Hope has inspired Kimberly to help others through their grief. Kimberly also recently published a book for bereaved parents and those who support and care for them on coping with the loss of a child called Out of the Darkness: Coping with and Recovering From the Death of a Child. It is available on Amazon.com.
If you wish to learn more, request an interview, invite Kimberly to speak at your event, or help us in our mission please contact us today!
