By Jill Sperling

Starting the conversation on International Suicide Awareness Day

Sep 8, 2016 | 4:55 PM

KAMLOOPS — While International Suicide Awareness Day is on Saturday, the conversation around this sensitive topic is starting early in Kamloops. 

An awareness event is happening tonight, Sep 8, at the Yacht Club from 6:30-8 p.m. 

The free event will feature a keynote speaker discussing her personal experiences. Loved ones lost to suicide will be honoured, and their lives celebrated. There will also be support groups on site.

Jolene Lindsey, mental health clinician with Interior Health, says it’s important that people feel free to speak openly about suicide, and this event provides that opportunity. 

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“We know that the more we talk about it, the less likely people are going to act on any thoughts,” Lindsey said. “The majority of people have been affected by suicide in some way or another, we just don’t talk about it enough. There’s so much stigma and so much judgement around it, we really need to just open up means of communication and the more people are talking about it the more people are going to find that there is access to help out there, there’s hope, and people aren’t alone.”