CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Suicide coalition hosting annual walk

Messenger-Inquirer - 9/6/2016

Sept. 06--The Owensboro Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition is hosting an annual LifeSavers Walk on Saturday to remember those who have died and help find solace for survivors.

This will be the ninth LifeSavers Walk in Owensboro. Coalition President Mike Flaherty said the annual walk is designed to educate the public about the problem of suicide and offer prevention as a viable solution.

Often, Flaherty said, suicide comes with a certain stigma that can make talking about it -- and thus, helping to prevent it -- more difficult. Walks like these start a dialogue about suicide that can be important in reaching out to those whose lives are affected.

"Losing a loved one is hard in any circumstances, but grief associated with someone dying by suicide is complicated," he said. "Many times, because people are uncomfortable with that subject, there's not as much of an outpouring of sympathy and support -- not necessarily because people aren't kind, but because they don't know what to say. This (walk) gives people an opportunity for people to come together with others who have those same difficulties."

Suicide is a leading cause of death for Kentuckians, yet it's one of the most preventable forms of death there are, he said. Most experts believe the majority of suicidal people don't want to necessarily die; they want to end their pain. So, if suicidal behaviors are detected early, said Flaherty, a licensed psychologist, those lives can be saved. After all, he added, suicide is almost always the symptom of a mental health problem like depression. If a mental health provider can reach the underlying cause of suicidal behavior symptoms, they can ultimately save a life.

"Coalition members are motivated to reduce the stigma and the occurrence of suicide in the community," Flaherty said.

Owensboro's suicide prevention coalition began as a task force of interested health experts and government parties in 2004. Since, it's grown into a regional coalition that targets risk factors and connects both suicidal individuals and survivors with resources they can use to seek help.

Registration for the LifeSavers Walk starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Owensboro Health Healthpark at 1006 Ford Ave. in Owensboro. The walk will begin at 10 a.m. Music by Jeff "Wildman" Hardesty and Skylar Cain will be near the registration tables.

Austin Ramsey, 270-691-7302, aramsey@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @austinrramsey

___

(c)2016 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.)

Visit the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.) at www.messenger-inquirer.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.