Thousands to walk Sunday for suicide prevention
Thousands of people who have lost loved ones and friends to suicide will converge on the Art Museum area Sunday for an annual fund-raiser for prevention.
Thousands of people who have lost loved ones and friends to suicide will converge on the Art Museum area Sunday for an annual fund-raiser for prevention.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention holds "Out of the Darkness" walks across the country, but Philadelphia's is one of the largest, with more than 2,500 participants registered so far.
"It's a very healing event for those who are struggling and those who lost a loved one to suicide," said Garden Logan, a spokeswoman for Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the AFSP. "It allows you to find camaraderie because you see you're not the only one suffering."
Last year, the walk raised more than $500,000 for suicide prevention efforts.
Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. at the Art Museum. The walk, which begins at 8:30 a.m., is three miles along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. More information can be found at www.afsp.org/philadelphia.
The AFSP said 38,000 people die by suicide each year in America and nearly one million make an attempt.
The organization also says suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and the second leading cause of death for college students.
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