BETTENDORF, Iowa -- Hundreds of people marched through Bettendorf's Veterans Memorial park on Saturday, September 28th for suicide awareness.
According to the American Federation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP), the number of suicide victims yearly has been escalating, with 48,000 people lost in 2018. So the organization has been promoting community walks across the country to fight the spread. This also mirrors data released by the Pentagon earlier in September showing that military suicides have reached a record high.
Out of the Darkness committee member Haley DeGreve explains how important is is to come out to events and help other suffering with suicidal thoughts by saying, "Suicide is on the rise, I always hear people asking how can I help with this event, and how you can help is you show up to event like this and you help stand up for people who feel like they don`t have a voice and stand up for mental health."
Registration for the walk was free and open to the public, with donation proceeds going to the ASFP. Walk donations are still being accepted through December 31st.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online.