According to latest data provided by The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP- www.afsp.org), suicide is the third leading cause of death among those ages 15-24 in the United States, the second leading cause of death among college students, and worldwide, suicide ranks among the three leading causes of death among those 15-44. Additionally, active and non-active military personnel and those in the Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender community have had increasingly high rates of suicide over the past decade.
In 2010 our community entered the ranks of statistics that no community ever wishes to join when we lost a student to suicide, and we feel that it is our responsibility to make sure that we not only honor the memory of our friend, but that we also educate our community on the realities of suicide and mental illness, so that we can work toward preventing more loss.
On Sunday, October 28, 2012, we will be walking as part of the Berkeley Cares Team in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Battery Park. Net proceeds benefit AFSP, funding research, advocacy, survivor programs, education, and awareness programs – both to prevent suicide and to assist those affected by suicide. The Out of the Darkness Walk gives Survivors of Suicide Loss the opportunity to not only experience their grief among those who understand, but also to feel as though they are a part of the prevention of this devastating epidemic.
We truly believe in the important work that the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention does for those who suffer from mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), situational depression, and the fight for mental health issues to be recognized and covered by insurance, because we see these issues in the faces of our students, our families, and our Berkeley community.
This Sunday, we and the Berkeley Cares Team will be walking for returning veterans suffering from PTSD who feel they have no one to turn to and no one who understand their overwhelming anxiety, LGBT teenagers, young adults, and adults who feel isolated and lonely because they cannot tell their family and friends who they truly are, parents suffering from bi-polar disorder or depression who cannot afford to seek treatment or the critical medication that they need to treat their illness and are struggling to stay alive for their children, and for Anniken and the friends and family members who have been lost to suicide, because we believe that their memories should be honored.
This Sunday, we and the Berkeley Cares Team will be walking for returning veterans suffering from PTSD who feel they have no one to turn to and no one who understand their overwhelming anxiety, LGBT teenagers, young adults, and adults who feel isolated and lonely because they cannot tell their family and friends who they truly are, parents suffering from bi-polar disorder or depression who cannot afford to seek treatment or the critical medication that they need to treat their illness and are struggling to stay alive for their children, and for Anniken and the friends and family members who have been lost to suicide, because we believe that their memories should be honored.
We truly hope that you can join us in our cause, either in person or through your donation, and send our deep gratitude for your support!
Join our Team or Donate!
We invite you to join our team and walk with us. Registration is FREE and all are welcome! To join our team, donate, and to learn more, please
Check out our team updates on Facebook and here on the blog!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Professor Giammarie Pieri at gmp@berkeleycollege.edu or Nicole Turnbull at nll@berkeleycollege.edu.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Professor Giammarie Pieri at gmp@berkeleycollege.edu or Nicole Turnbull at nll@berkeleycollege.edu.
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