In Los Angeles County, more than two people die from suicide each day. For every suicide among young adults, there are 100 to 200 attempts. In an effort to inform the community about suicide, Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center will hold its 13th annual Alive & Running 5K walk/run for suicide prevention.
In 2008, April Kubachka’s son Kyle took his own life at the age of 19.
“I am supporting Didi Hirsch because their survivor program allows me to become the optimist I once was, instead of the pessimist I became after my son took his own life,” said Kubachka, a Survivors After Suicide program participant at Didi Hirsch.
This will be Kubachka’s third year participating in the run.
“Each year we lose 1,100 college students to suicide,” said Dr. Kita S. Curry, president and CEO of the nonprofit Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. “Their hopes and dreams are never realized.”
Some 1,100 backpacks will be displayed at this year’s event and will include personal stories commemorating suicide victims. “The impact of seeing a statistic made real is powerful,” Curry said. “We hope the community will come and share their stories and celebrate and remember loved ones lost to suicide.”
With 70 years of experience, Didi Hirsch provides mental health and substance abuse services at 11 sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including a nationally recognized Suicide Prevention Center, which takes more than 45,000 calls a year and gives support and advice to those contemplating suicide or who have lost a loved one to suicide. The service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and caters to both English and Spanish speakers.
The Alive and Running walk/run will be held at 8 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 25 at West 88th Street and La Tijera Boulevard in Westchester, where more than 1,000 runners, walkers and spectators will join together to raise funds for suicide awareness. There will also be a free “Kiddie-K” (1K) for children, beginning the start of the 5K.
Registration for the 5K is $25 prior to Sept. 18, after which the fee is $30 (a tax-deductible donation). For more information or to sign up, visit aliveandrunning.org or email AliveandRunning@DidiHirsch.org.
