By Carli Berry
MARKET NEWS STAFF
It’s time to end the stigma around suicide in the Shuswap with Salmon Arm’s first Lantern Walk.
“The more we hide the idea of suicide, the more we shame it. (The walk is) to create social connectives and build relationships,” said coordinator for regional suicide prevention, Shannon Hecker.
The Lantern Walk will be held on Sept. 14, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at McGuire Lake Park.
The event is part of the Canadian Mental Heath Association Community Gatekeeper Project, a three-year project aiming to bring awareness and preventative measures to suicide for communities across B.C.
“There’s this idea with light and walking, acknowledging people lost and (who can) move forward into hope,” said Hecker.
The focus is on prevention, intervention and healing.
“I believe in intervention for everyone… to find the missed pieces,” she said.
Hecker believes that learning the warning signs is an important step in prevention and hopes to bring these conversations to youth.
“It’s the leading cause of death in youth of those between 15-24. If a young person knows about death and dying, then we can talk about suicide,” she said.
Suicide was historically viewed as a crime, so CMHA has been trying to end that stigma, she said.
The CMHA will also host a safe-talk training session on Sept. 15 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The session aims to help individuals recognize the warning signs of a person who may take their life. Email shannon.hecker@cmha.bc.ca to register for the session.
The walk is also brought to Salmon Arm by the Shuswap Local Action Team, part of Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Collaborative and funded by Doctors of BC and the B.C. government.