My Call to Action
Every year suicide claims more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined, and yet suicide prevention doesn't get anywhere near the funding given to other leading causes of death.
I’m not just raising money and running a race. My incredible, sunshiney, light-up-the-room cousin Treg passed away from suicide in 2014 and suicide has silently blanketed my family for generations. Last year, I was diagnosed with major depression and
anxiety. I have the same disease that my family members had, but I also have the opportunity to have the same darkness end with me. I’m on a mission now.
I believe that sharing our stories can save lives.
The more open and upfront I am in sharing my vulnerabilities with other people, the more comfortable I’ve become in my own skin, and the more willing others are to be open with me about their shared experiences. No one should feel alone or ashamed. We’re
all in this together.
It’s time to open the dialogue. It’s time to make real changes around mental illness, depression and suicide. Running has been a huge piece in managing my own depression and anxiety—along with medication and talk therapy—and has truly been a lifesaver
in my mental health journey. Speaking up and speaking out about my own depression may help others see that it’s not something that needs to be hidden any longer.
I’m running for you, I’m running for those we have lost and I’m running for those we will save by allowing AFSP to continue this important work.
So here’s my final call to action: please donate what you can to help AFSP end suicide, and please start talking
about mental health and suicide. Let’s shut out the darkness. Let’s let the light in.
