Announcement: National Survivors of Suicide Day & Heartbeat

For those of you who have lost a child by suicide, we want to be sure you are aware of HEARTBEAT, a support group that meets the first and third Tuesday evening of every month... In addition to these meetings, they have a special event coming up on Saturday, November 20th, which is the 12th Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day, which will be held at Cavalry Baptist Church... and as always, if you know of other parents who might find these helpful, please be sure to pass this along to them...

HEARTBEAT/LAKE HAVASU CITY
Meets: LHC Community Center, Room 152
100 Park Ave., LHC
First and third Tuesdays, 7 – 9pm ~ October - May

For more information about the bi-monthly meetings or the upcoming 12th Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day, Call:
Judy or Dan at (928) 854-0113 OR (928) 208-0129 or
email them at jdhoppes@frontiernet.net

12th ANNUAL NATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY
November 20, 2010
10:30am-3pm (Lunch provided)
Presented By: Heartbeat of Lake Havasu
Location: Calvary Baptist Church 1605 McCulloch Blvd S Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406
Fee: None (Donations accepted)
A Memory Board will be available if you would like to bring a picture of your loved one. Please include name, birthdate and date of loss. The picture will be returned to you at the end of the day.

NATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY

Every person who dies by suicide leaves behind survivors—loved ones left shocked, grieving and struggling to understand and cope with their heartbreaking loss. Many survivors feel isolated and alone, wondering if anyone understands their pain.

In 1999, United States Senator Harry Reid, a survivor of his own father’s suicide, brought the challenge of coping with suicide loss into the national spotlight by introducing Senate Resolution 99, which declared the Saturday before Thanksgiving “National Survivors of Suicide Day.”
Each year on National Survivors of Suicide Day, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reaches out to survivors through local survivor conferences held simultaneously in communities throughout the world, which are all linked by a live broadcast. This unique network of healing conferences connects survivors within their own communities and across the globe. For many, National Survivors of Suicide Day is the first time they’ve ever met anyone else who has lost someone to suicide.

The broadcast includes a blend of emotional support and information about resources for healing. “Veteran” survivors and mental health professionals address the questions that so many survivors face: Why did this happen? How do I cope? Where can I find support? Since many survivors also find it helpful to understand something about the science of suicide prevention and bereavement, the program also includes a brief presentation of research highlights by mental health professionals.

HEARTBEAT is a member of the following (websites listed):
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, A national research organization,
http://www.afsp.org/

The American Association of Suicidology, A national organization dedicated to the study and reduction of human self-destruction. http://www.suicidology.org/

and

Suicide Prevention Action Network http://www.spanusa.org/