Non-profit movement To Write Love on Her Arms will be joining organizations like the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization to honor 2014’s National Suicide Prevention Week (NSPW) September 8-14 and World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on September 10.
This year, the theme is: “One World Connected.” TWLOHA’s message is, “No One Else Can Play Your Part.” TWLOHA founder Jamie Tworkowski tells us, “We chose these words because we believe them to be true. We want people to believe that their life matters, and their story is significant. More than anything, we want people to know that it’s okay to be honest, and it’s okay to ask for help. The highlight of our work is when people say things like, ‘I’m still alive because of TWLOHA.” Or “I got help because of you guys.'”
More than 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Two-thirds of those living with depression never get help, and untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide. In America, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. This is why each year, in an effort to change these numbers, organizations come together to focus on suicide prevention. Tworkowski states, “We’re hoping you might join us in bringing this message to people everywhere. Whether you have 10 friends or 10,000 followers, we all have some kind of influence. Our hope is that this campaign – these words, this design – might lead to life-changing conversations. The TWLOHA story has been one of people connecting with hope and help by talking about things that aren’t usually talked about. Too many people feel alone. Too many people feel invisible. “No One Else Can Play Your Part” is meant to tell people that they matter, that they’re not alone, that there is still some time to be surprised.”
For NSPW and WSPD, there are many ways you can help spread TWLOHA’s message in your communities and online. First, you can pick up a World Suicide Prevention Daypack. Each pack includes a t-shirt, bracelet, poster print, and a pack of (15) info cards. These materials feature the “No One Else Can Play Your Part” design printed in orange, which is the color often associated with suicide prevention. All of these items are meant to equip you to talk about suicide prevention in your community. Use them as conversation starters, encouraging reminders, and informative tools to share with others. Join the conversation and post photos using #NoOneElse14.
By donating to TWLOHA, supporters are also investing in suicide prevention. From now until the end of NSPW, every dollar raised through our NSPW 2014 StayClassy page will go directly to funding treatment and recovery. As a way of saying thanks, the top individual fundraiser will win a unique TWLOHA experience. To learn more about the campaign and how to help, please visit:
To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. Since its start in 2006, TWLOHA has donated over $1.2 million directly into treatment and recovery and responded to more than 175,000 emails from over 100 countries.
For more information on To Write Love on Her Arms, please visit: www.twloha.com
To get involved in National Suicide Prevention Week, please visit: http://twloha.com/blog/
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