JAMESTOWN – A day to help area residents who’ve been affected by a loss in their lives due to suicide is happening this weekend.
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day will be commemorated from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Jones Memorial Health Center on Glasgow Ave., in Jamestown.
In recognition of the fact that suicide knows no geographic or national boundaries and because Survivor Day events are organized around the world, AFSP’s program is called “International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day.”
Victoria Patti with the Chautauqua County Suicide Prevention Coalition says it’s the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather around the world at events in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope.
“We will have some refreshments and will watch the documentary, and then we’ll have some breakout groups,” Patti said. “We’ll have discussions about how our losses have affected us; maybe some positive things that people in our community have done to cope with loss – maybe journaling or deep breathing – and to talk about the path to wellness.”
The event in Jamestown is co-hosted by the Community Alliance for Suicide Prevention, WCA Hospital, Chautauqua Tapestry, and the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene.
For more information, call or email Patti at (716) 753-4519 or PattiV @ co.chautauqua.ny.us
Survivor Day was created by an act of Congress in 1999 and since then has been sponsored and supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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