September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
The most recent data indicates that 49,500 American’s died from suicide, most ever recorded. In honor of those lost to suicide, Infinite Hope will hold their second annual Remembrance Event at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 in Central Park, located at 10 S. Main St. in Henderson.
Henderson County High School FBLA students are sponsoring a prevention walk that begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, September 23 at the corner of Third and Main Streets. The walk participants will conclude their walk at Central Park and join Infinite Hope at the Gazebo.
The event brings survivors together to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones lost and aids in awareness of suicide prevention. Featured will be music by Maggie Hollis, speakers, memory signs (with pictures of loved ones lost to suicide), nachos provided by Tacoholics, a butterfly release, and the presence of Healing Reins.
People who wish to participate are encouraged to contact Infinite Hope at care@infinitehopekentucky.com or 800-921-9431 by Sept. 18.
Infinite Hope supports survivors who have lost a loved one to suicide. Its mission is to ensure that no one has to experience suicide loss alone.
They strive to support survivors of loss, helping them navigate their grief by providing community resources, support groups and fostering community awareness. Survivors of suicide loss often struggle with disenfranchised grief. This type of grief goes on for much longer than society understands. Their grief is kept hidden, unacknowledged, and not generally understood. Feeling alone is common until they can connect with others who share this commonality of experience.
Infinite Hope serves Henderson, Webster, and Union counties. These three counties comprise one of the highest rates of suicide in the state, according to Infinite Hope Executive Director Cindy Weaver.
As a prevention strategy, Infinite Hope offers QPR, question, persuade and refer, three simple steps in a one-hour program that teaches someone how to become a Gatekeeper to help save a life from suicide. QPR is an emergency mental health intervention for suicidal persons that identifies and interrupts a suicide crisis, then directs that person to care. The program can be taught in churches, law enforcement agencies, businesses, industries, etc.
Postvention refers to services offered to someone who has lost a loved one to suicide. In postvention, Infinite Hope provides adult support groups, trained peer to peer one on one support, a yearly Remembrance event each September, timely appointments with therapists trained in grief and trauma, financial assistance with biohazard cleanup and funeral expenses if needed, suicide loss packets for survivors and children, helpful online resources, and more.
In addition, Infinite Hope now has LOSS teams (local outreach to suicide survivors) available as first responders when a suicide occurs. Infinite Hope’s LOSS team was part of the first group trained in Kentucky in February 2023, which included coroners, law enforcement, therapists, and suicide loss survivors.
Weaver said that Infinite Hope is the only active LOSS team in the state. Other teams in the Lexington area are still working toward active operation.