Upcoming walk raises suicide awareness

SANDPOINT — The stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide can discourage people from talking about it until it is too late.

Jennifer Wyman knows first-hand what it's like to lose a child to suicide. Since the sudden and unexpected loss of her daughter Madi last November, she and her family set out to promote suicide awareness and get people talking about it.

"We believe suicide awareness is key into the future of saving lives," Wyman said. "It's never brought up until the tragedy strikes."

To bring awareness about suicide to the community, promoting help and healing, Madi's family and friends organized an event for Sept. 4 titled "Walk for H.O.P.E," across the Long Bridge in Sandpoint. H.O.P.E is an acronym for "Hold On Pain Ends," Wyman said.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, but Wyman said the goal is to provide awareness year-round. Wyman said studies show that people have a difficult time talking about suicide because they feel it is something they are not supposed to talk about. In reality, she said, it is the exact opposite. She said asking a direct question can give someone the opportunity to open up and talk about it.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, one person dies from suicide every 27 hours in Idaho. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the state and, for ages 10 to 44, it is the second leading cause of death in Idaho.

Wyman said she "loves" that the schools in the area have been working to implement some programs surrounding suicide awareness, but she worries that several years down the road the programs may no longer be available. Walk for H.O.P.E is planned as an annual event to continually raise funds and provide events year-round, such as bringing people in to speak to students at the schools and funding programs throughout the community to promote suicide awareness and fight the stigma surrounding it.

"It's not just the teens that we are trying to target," she said. "We understand that there has been several adult suicides in our community over the last few years, so this is a community-wide problem."

Everyone is encouraged to come together at Dog Beach by 5 p.m. Sept. 4. Early registration ends today, Aug. 20, but people can still register until the event and donations are welcome. Registration forms are located on the Walk for H.O.P.E Facebook page as well as various locations around Sandpoint, such as Advocate Insurance, 506 Alder St., and Sand Creek Custom Wear, 404 Cedar St.

The walk will begin at Dog Beach and the group will walk across the bridge and back to Dog Beach where there will be food, music and connection time.

"If you can't make it across the bridge, we still want you to come be with us," Wyman said.

Even those who can't make it to the event because they are out of town, or whatever the reason, are encouraged to walk with the group virtually by sending a photo or a video, which will be uploaded to the website.

"We want people to come together and celebrate the positive in the people that they've lost, be able to remember them in a positive way as well as bringing awareness to those who are still struggling," Wyman said. "Those of us who have lost somebody can attest to how much those people mean to us and that everybody has a meaning. You are important to someone and there are other options."

For registration forms, information and inspiration visit: www.facebook.com/WalkForHope Sandpoint or www.walkforhopesandpoint.org. To learn about becoming a sponsor, contact Wyman at 208-290-8391 or email walkforhopesandpoint@gmail.com.