From Darkness to Light walk Saturday, World Suicide Prevention day Monday

Monday will mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
 
Grande Prairie’s Suicide Prevention Resource Centre will hold it’s annual “From Darkness to Light” walk Saturday in Muskoseepi Park.
 
The Centre’s Faris Jean Atkinson says it is symbolic for those devoted to preventing suicides to walk towards the rising sun.
 
“Mental illness is something that has, traditionally, lived in the dark. People have hidden the fact that they suffered with mental illness or didn’t want to admit that they or anybody close to them had a mental illness.”
 
She adds a lot of people would still rather say they are physically ill, rather than admit to struggling with mental health.
 
“When someone goes up to the hospital and says ‘I’m struggling. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I need some help,’ it’s really hard for people to say ‘Oh wow, we’ve really got to help you, you’re in a bad way,’ because they can’t see physically what’s going on with them. They appear healthy and yet they are saying they need help.”
 
Registration starts at 5:45 a.m. with the walk following at 6:30 a.m. in Muskoseepi Park.
 
The theme this year for World Suicide Prevention Day is  “Working Together to Prevent Suicide.”
 
Atkinson says preventing suicides takes a lot of effort from a lot of people.
 
“It takes family, friends, co-workers, community members, educators, religious leaders, healthcare professionals. It takes so many people, political officials, governments. It really requires integrative strategies .”