Today is Suicide Prevention Day Worldwide
Posted Sep 10, 2013 12:56:34 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Today marks Suicide Prevention Day around the world.
Locally, The Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council will have displays set up in Kitchener City hall until 7 p.m.
Tana Nash is the Executive Director of the WRSP Council and tells 570’s Gary Doyle a butterfly release is scheduled for 6 p.m. today.
“We hand out these lovely butterflies, they come in an envelope…and these butterflies have been cooled during the day and as they warm up on your hand they will start to fly. It’s this beautiful, moving ceremony to honour those we have lost to suicide.”
Nash adds that Waterloo Region is averaging about 35 suicides annually.
“I think we are doing a much better jobs… talking about it. I think we have come leaps and bounds in the last few years but now it’s like a balancing weight or scale, we need to make sure the level of services continue to match the level of need that is out there.”
The centre for addiction and mental health says suicide is the second leading cause of death among young Canadians aged 15 to 24.
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