“Eight hundred thousand people die by suicide each year,” shared keynote speaker Brooke Anderson at this year’s eighth annual Walk for Hope, which took place last Saturday.
Anderson is on the Virginia Board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which educates communities about suicide and provides support for those who are fighting to find hope every day. This year’s walk was hosted by JMU and organized with the help of a planning committee. Committee member and Director of Counseling Services at EMU Tempest Anderson explained that the goal of this walk was to “raise awareness about depression and suicide prevention… [and] to highlight the importance of mental health, decrease stigma, and encourage hope.”
In his introduction for the keynote speech, JMU President Jonathan Alger said that the Walk for Hope “unites our entire community in hope.”
The event started with registration, during which people participating in the walk received a free t-shirt and a yellow flower with a tag that stated “I walk because…” Participants were asked to complete this statement with reasons like “…I stand with those who are fighting every day,” or the name of someone close to them that died by suicide. After registration, participants walked around campus in support of those dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. The walk concluded at the JMU Festival Conference Center Ballroom, where there were snacks, activities, and gifts available, and where the keynote speech took place.
Anderson’s keynote speech served as an informative and encouraging call to those struggling to find hope. She noted that “There are warning signs that allow us to be clued in that a person might be suicidal.”
Someone who may be suicidal can “be a part of a group that loves [them] but still feels very alone.” Anyone could become suicidal if their stresses outweigh their coping mechanisms, so it is important that we support those who are struggling. First-year Jamie Walmer said, “As a suicide attempt survivor, I found the talk the most touching of the events.”
One part of Anderson’s speech that Walmer found to be true for herself was that “the time barrier between [suicidal] thoughts and impulse reactions” decreases the chances that someone will attempt suicide.
In reflecting on her own mental health journey, Walmer said, “A big part of why I’m still here is because of my family.”
Anderson said in her speech, “You are one link in the chain of many that will help that person.” If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or is having thoughts of suicide, you can call 1800- 273-TALK or send a text message to 741-741.
