There is one death by suicide every 11 minutes, and it is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Suicide is also the second leading cause of death among ten- to 34-year-old people, according to the CDC. Chances are that many people have been impacted by suicide in some way. MRHC Occupational Therapist Amanda Arneson invites the community to join the first “Out of The Darkness Walk” in Manning on Saturday, September 24th at 10am at the Manning City Park to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention.
“My husband and I have been personally affected by suicide, so we are passionate about spreading awareness and resources, which is why we decided to host our own walk locally,” shared Arneson, MOTR/L, CLT. “Our mission in this walk is to raise awareness for suicide prevention, reduce the stigma surrounding this issue, and support survivors, those at risk, and families who have lost loved ones. These events empower people to share how suicide has impacted them.”
The Out of the Darkness movement started in 2004 to give people courage to share their connections to the cause, unite communities, and provide an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
To donate, learn more, or register for the Manning walk, please visit AFSP.org.You can also contact Amanda Arneson at 712-304-1290 or amanda.arneson@mrhcia.com. Participants can also register at the walk itself, beginning at 9am.
“With this being our first year, our goal is to have 100 people present,” Arneson said. “The walk is free to attend, however, we ask that everyone, whether individually or in a team, set a goal of $150 in fundraising to reach our cumulative goal of $5,000.”
Suicide awareness T-shirts are also available through MRHC and can be ordered online here or through the Out of the Darkness Walk Facebook event on the MRHC Facebook page. T-shirt orders are due by September 6.
If you or a loved one are in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, please call 988, the National Suicide Prevention line. If you need more mental health information, education, or would like to discuss support, please contact your primary care physician at (712) 655-2072. For those 65 and older, call Senior Life Solutions at (712) 655-8262. Or call the Manning Recovery Center at (712) 655-2300 and talk to a professional. To learn more about mental health and available resources visit mhanational.org.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up