Letter: World Suicide Prevention Day

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Connecting with one, single individual can prove to be both life-affirming and life-saving. Our theme for the day is Connection, which is the essence of our work. Strengthening connection within ourselves, connection to others, and connection throughout our communities promotes resilience and hope.

Suicide prevention is collaborative work. We work with over 300 organizations every year: government, non-profit, and corporate to co-develop policies, strategies, guidelines, and to train people in suicide prevention. Knowledgeable and coordinated community connections strengthen our mutual efforts to eradicate suicide.

In addition to publishing a new resource about the Zero Suicide movement, hosting free workshops, attending events like Mysterious Barricades at the University of Calgary, we will continue to promote our message of connection and suicide prevention.

Meaningful personal connections matter: they can save lives. It takes just one person, just one good connection in a person’s life, to keep that person mentally healthy and resilient. If someone is struggling with suicidality, it takes just one person to ask the question: “Are you thinking of suicide?” and to connect them to help.

Suicide prevention is all about connections. We create those connections in our community, in our province, and in our country. We want to spread a message of hope: anyone can help someone at risk of suicide, and when we all work together, we can support those at risk and connect them to help.

Are you struggling with suicidal thoughts or know someone who is? In Alberta, call 2-1-1 or your local crisis line.

Crystal Walker
Communications Coordinator
Centre for Suicide Prevention

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