Out of Darkness

On any given Saturday in September, in cities all across America, thousands

of people are pounding the pavement to raise money, and most importantly,
AWARENESS for an important issue that affects millions of people. They are
kicking the stigma of having a loved one die as a result of suicide to the curb.

The American Foundation for

September is suicide awareness

month and the American
Foundation for Suicide
Prevention sponsors the annual
Out of Darkness Walk every
year. The goal of the event is
to fundraise and also to provide
a place for survivors to gather,
share stories, pictures and
support one another. No one
understands better what
survivors go through after such
a painful experience, than other
survivors.
Suicide Prevention or AFSP was founded in

Why We Walk
Every year suicide claims more
lives than war, murder, and
natural disasters combined,
and yet suicide prevention
doesnt get anywhere near the
funding given to other leading
causes of death. Its up to
Walkers like us to make a
difference. Together we can
change the conversation about
mental health and put a stop
to this tragic loss of life.

1987 by Robert Gebbia, David Shaffer, actress Mariette Hartley and others
who were affected by the suicide of someone close to them. They joined with
scientists to create AFSP. Before AFSP, there was no national-scope not-forprofit organization dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide
through research, education and advocacy. (Prevention)
The Mission of the AFSP is Save Lives and Bring Hope to Those Affected
by Suicide. To fully achieve its mission, AFSP engages in the following Five
Core Strategies:

Fund scientific research-AFSP is the largest private funder of suicide

prevention research.

Create educational programs for professionals

Educate the public about mood disorders and suicide prevention- They
also educate journalists and reporters on how to report suicide in a
tactful, non-stigmatizing way.

Promote policies and legislation that impact suicide and prevention.

Provide programs and resources for survivors of suicide loss and

people at risk, and involve them in the work of the Foundation.
(Prevention)

The AFSPs mission: Save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide

Weve set a bold goal to reduce the annual suicide rate in the U.S. 20 percent
by 2025.

One way they moved to

accomplish this goal was to
establish charters in all of the fifty
states. Most of the work they do is
accomplished by a dedicated
volunteer force. The Out of
Darkness Walk in Salt Lake City is
organized by three paid staff and
about 100 volunteers. AFSPs chapters are at the forefront of suicide prevention.
They create a culture thats smart about mental health through education and
community programs, research and advocacy, and support for those affected
by suicide. (Prevention)

The walk has attracted more attention every year of its existence. The first
one in the Salt Lake area was in 2007. A few
hundred people showed up to Wheeler Farm. It
has grown every year and hosted about 4000
walkers last year and had to move to Liberty
Park. Participants usually walk in teams adorned with matching
shirts named for a loved one lost to suicide. We walk with team
Landslide. This is in memory of my nephew Mike who died in
2007.
AFSP provides this opportunity for families to come together to
remember their loved ones and to share in an environment where there is no
stigma about suicide. They can share ideas about how they cope and how
they can educate others to not be ashamed about the cause of their loved
ones death any more than if they had died in a car accident or because of
cancer. Since 90% of all suicides are committed by those with a mental
illness at the time of their death, suicide is really a mental health issue that
can be prevented. The AFSP wants to get this information to the world.

Bibliography
Prevention, American Foundation for Suicide. afsp.org. 1 January 2016. 14 February
2016.