PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Suicide prevention and erasing stigma around mental health took center stage in Philadelphia Sunday morning, as people walked in solidarity to raise awareness of the issues.
For Scott Godshall, suicide and suicide prevention are personal.
"I lost a son in 2014," he shared. "That's how I got involved."
Godshall, the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention joined about 1,000 people at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and another thousand virtually for the 3-mile Out of the Darkness Walk. The walk raised over $400,000 for suicide prevention and awareness efforts, according to officials.
Godshall says many of the walkers have felt the effects of suicide.
"Our mission is to help them survive to help them talk about it. The reason we get so many people coming here is there is no substitute for talking with people who have been through the same thing as you have," he said.
Related
The foundation's Erica Arthur said communities of color and communities of faith are particularly affected.
"A lot of times in those communities, it may be what happens here stays here," she said. "Things are kind of brushed underneath the rug and I cannot stress the importance of having the conversation proactively."
She added they've seen an uptick in suicides of young Black girls. "As for the African-American teenagers, there's been a 64% increase," she noted.
Godshall believes the walk is needed more than ever.
"The pandemic really put a foot on the pedal in terms of anxiety and depression all around the country and probably all around the world," he said. "As a result we think there is more reason for doing this."
Officials say the walk has raised more than 400 thousand dollars for their cause.
Related
