September is officially Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Stornoway Rugby Club (men’s team and women’s team) has joined forces with NHS Western Isles to tackle the stigma associated with suicide and raise awareness of local and national support groups.
The Club intends to fundraise for local mental health charities at its forthcoming September games being held on 22nd (SRC v Aberdeen University fundraising for Samaritans) and 29th (SRC v Shetland RC fundraising for Catch 23), and at their 20th October game (fundraising for The Foyer Project).
Scotland has a higher suicide rate than the rest of the UK and is one of the main causes of death among young people today. Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy. One suicide represents lost life, lost talent, lost creativity, a lost mother or father, brother, sister, son or daughter and a wound that does not easily heal in those who are left behind.
Effective prevention is made difficult by the stigma attached to suicide. Public attitudes need to change and increased awareness and understanding can reduce a largely preventable major public health problem. Open honest conversations about suicide will make a difference. The best way to identify the possibility of suicide is to ask directly. Open talk and genuine concern about someone’s thoughts of suicide are a source of relief and are key elements in preventing the immediate danger of suicide.
Chris Adams, Winger for Stornoway Rugby Club and who also works as a local Ambulance Technician, said “Both local rugby teams want to highlight the importance of talking to someone, be it a family member, a friend, the Samaritans, even a stranger. We want to get across the message that suicide is preventable and we encourage everyone to come along to the matches to show their support. ”
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the rugby games where the Club will also be wearing armbands depicting the colour of the mental health charity it is fundraising for that week. Charity wristbands will also be available for sale, as well as useful information on how individuals can help to reduce the stigma associated to suicide prevention.
Elaine Mackay, NHS Western Isles Choose Life Coordinator, said “It is important that we as a community continue to work towards reducing the stigma associated to suicide. NHS Western Isles would like to thank Stornoway Rugby Club for its support to this year’s suicide prevention campaign and we hope other sporting clubs would like to become involved in sharing this important message.”
Suicide can affect any one of us so let’s make sure the right help is available.
For further information on how you can become involved in suicide prevention, please visit Choose Life at: www.chooselife.net or contact the Samaritans by telephoning 116123 or visiting samaritans.org