News Article

Share:

Global Content Zone 1

Evolution Foundation, Rural Health Projects to host day of suicide prevention, education and conversation

Enid News & Eagle
Sep 09, 2021

Sep. 10—Evolution Foundation and Rural Health Projects will host "Journey Through Darkness" on Monday to help bring awareness of suicide to Garfield County.

"Journey Through Darkness," a day of suicide prevention, education and conversation, will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday at Autry Technology Center.

September is Suicide Awareness Month, and Theresa Sharp, community consultant with Evolution Foundation, said the main goal with the "Journey of Darkness" event is to bring awareness to suicide.

"The main thing is just to get that awareness out there, reduce that stigma, let people know that there is help — that they're not alone," Sharp said. "Let family members learn some of those signs and warnings that they may be overlooking. We want everyone to know that while (suicide) is tragic, it can be preventable."

According to an article by Oklahoma Watch, 883 Oklahomans died by suicide last year, a 10% increase over 2019 and the highest number of suicides since at least 2006. In 2018, there were 806 suicide deaths, according to a report from the state medical examiner's office.

On average, two Oklahomans ages 10 to 24 die by suicide every week, according to a 2020 report from the Oklahoma Violent Death Reporting System.

"Journey Through Darkness" will begin with registration from 8:30-9 a.m. followed by the welcome. Jeremy Elledge, a licensed clinical social worker, full-time therapist and mental health professional, clinical supervisor, and one of a limited number of trauma specialists in Oklahoma trained by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, will speak from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

A networking lunch will last until 1:15 p.m., and a screening of "Suicide: The Ripple Effect" will be shown, and then a 30-minute break will be held from 2:45-3:15 p.m.

Kevin Hines, an award-winning brain/mental health and suicide prevention activist, entrepreneur, multiple award-winning filmmaker, best-selling author, international educator and speaker who survived a suicide attempt, then will speak until 4:15 p.m., followed by closing remarks.

Tickets for "Journey Through Darkness" are $10 plus a 25-cent service fee per person and can be purchased online. Lunch will be provided. Registration will be open until Monday morning, and Sharp added that people can show up the morning of the event and pay there.

For more information about "Journey Through Darkness," contact Sharp by calling (580) 977-7479 or by emailing there sa.a.sharp@outlook.com.

On Oct. 1, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host an "Out of the Darkness" suicide awareness and prevention walk in downtown Enid during Oktoberfest on First Friday.

Sharp said during the walk, people will gather to support and remember those who have attempted or completed suicide, and a silent auction will be held to raise funds for awareness and prevention activities in the area. Guest speakers will be families affected by suicide, and a memory quilt will be there along with resources available on-site.

Sharp said it's important to raise awareness of suicide because it's preventable, and reducing the stigma can affect change.

"I feel like by us being able to do events like this, we're showing people that it's OK to talk about it," she said. "It's OK to come together and talk about it, to celebrate the lives of the loved ones that are lost. The more people that we can bring together and have that conversation, I think, people on the outside that aren't in those conversations might see that it's not so bad and might join in those conversations.

"That's what I hope to achieve in Garfield County — just whatever we have to do to reduce that stigma. ... Let's talk about it. Let's have that conversation."

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is (800) 273-8255. Crisis counselors can also be reached by texting "HOME" to 741741.

Local inpatient facilities include Resilience Behavioral Health at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center and Meadowlake Hospital at Integris Bass Baptist Health Center.

Sharp added that there are many counselors in Enid and facilities someone can reach out to, and the Enid Survivors of Suicide, a support group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide, meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at Willow View United Methodist Church.

McKendrick is police and court reporter for the Enid News & Eagle.

Have a question about this story? Do you see something we missed? Do you have a story idea for Kelci? Send an email to kelcim@enidnews.com.

___

(c)2021 the Enid News & Eagle (Enid, Okla.)

Visit the Enid News & Eagle (Enid, Okla.) at www.enidnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Global Content Zone 2