Out of the Darkness Community Walk slated for Sept. 27Date: 8/21/2015 SPRINGFIELD – More than 1,200 people from Western Mass are expected to participate in the Annual Springfield Out of the Darkness Community Walk on Sept. 27.
The fundraising walk supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP, afsp.org) by helping to support local and national suicide prevention and awareness programs to reduce the annual rate of suicide by 20 percent by 2025.
The Springfield Out of the Darkness Walk is one of more than 370 Out of the Darkness Community Walks (www.outofthedarkness.org) taking place this fall nationwide. The walks are expected to unite more than 100,000 walkers nationally and raise more than $12 million for suicide prevention efforts.
“Much more needs to be done to prevent suicide. Yet, suicide and the underlying mental disorders that can sometimes lead to suicide continue to be surrounded by misinformation and stigma,” said Cheryl Ronzoni, Western Massachusetts Chapter dssociate area director. “This walk is about reducing that stigma, raising awareness and raising needed funds for research and local prevention programs.”
The Springfield Community Walk will begin at MassMutual Center in Springfield at 8:30 a.m. with registration and end at MassMutual Center by 12:30 p.m. The walk route will take place across Columbus Avenue and past the Springfield Riverfront.
WWLP TV 22 is the media sponsor.
According to AFSP, close to 700,000 people will make a suicide attempt requiring medical care and more than 38,000 will die by suicide in the U.S. every year.
“Despite the troubling statistics, an important goal of the walk is to stress that suicide can be prevented. The walk is also a call to action that more must be done to prevent suicide, nationally and in communities across the country,” Robert Gebbia, executive director for the AFSP, said.
“We know that the best way to prevent suicide is through the early recognition and treatment of the mental disorders that can contribute to suicide. Unfortunately, stigma about disorders such as depression, bipolar illness, and alcohol and substance abuse, keeps people from getting the treatment they need. The Overnight is about eliminating that stigma. It’s about bringing hope to those who have been affected by suicide,” he continued.
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