Walkers take to the streets to fight suicide
October 5, 2016
Hundreds of walks being held nationwide through December 2016
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, yet suicide is preventable. More than 1,000 people from throughout the Midlands are expected to participate in the annual Columbia Out of the Darkness Community Walk hosted by the AFSP South Carolina Chapter at [2:00 p.m., October 23 rd at Boyd Plaza. This fundraising walk supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s local and national education and advocacy programs and its bold goal to reduce the annual rate of suicide 20 percent by 2025.
“We walk to raise awareness about this important health issue. Suicide touches one in five American families. We hope that by walking we save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide,” said Helen Pridgen, SC Area Director.
The Columbia Out of the Darkness Walk is one of more than 375 Out of the Darkness Community Walks being held nationwide this year. The walks are expected to unite more than 250,000 walkers and raise millions for suicide prevention efforts. With the 2015 Columbia walk, AFSP South Carolina Chapter raised approximately $50,000 and had over 850 participants.
Speakers at the Columbia Out of the Darkness Walk will include John Magill, State Director of South Carolina Department of Mental Health and Dr. Meera Narasimhan, Associate Provost of Health Sciences, University of South Carolina.
“These walks are about turning hope into action,” said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. “Suicide is a serious problem, but it’s a problem we can solve. The research has shown us how to fight suicide, and if we keep up the fight the science is only going to get better, our culture will get smarter about mental health, and we’ll be able to save more people from dying from mental health conditions.”
Local sponsors for the Columbia Out of the Darkness Community Walk include Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Three Rivers Behavioral Care, Nancy Dunbar, SC AARP, NAMI Mid-Carolina, Nelson Mullins Riley &; Scarborough LLP, Columbia Fireflies Baseball, Cumulus Media, Ellison Kibler & Associates- Merrill Lynch, Mental Health America of SC, NAMI- SC, The State Media Company, ETV Public Radio, SC Bar- Lawyers Helping Lawyers, SC Nurses Association- Psychiatric/Mental Health Chapter, Palmetto Counseling Associates, ARC Document Solutions, Leadership Development, Inc., Larry Nichols, Palmetto Health Behavioral Care, MedXPrime, and Starbucks Coffee Company.
About The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
