Journey To Hope

Supporting Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Hope, Healing, Honoring

ABOUT US

Journey to Hope is made up of individuals in the community of Moose Jaw, SK and surrounding areas who are members of the Survivors of Suicide Support Group or have been affected by a loss through suicide.  Through our grief, we have come to realize the impact that suicide has in our lives and within our community and feel the need to do our part to make a difference.

Suicide happens so often, yet no one seems to be talking about it because of the stigma that is attached to it.  Those who haven't been directly affected by it don't want to hear about it.  Those who have attempted suicide may be scared to talk about it.  Others may be feeling suicidal and believe nothing can help.  And, tragically others are the ones left behind to pick up the pieces.

Our feeling is that there must be great resources out there to help.  But, what are they?  How does a person who is feeling suicidal seek help in our community?  As a group, we feel it would be extremely beneficial to our community to strive towards raising awareness to the devestation of suicide.

We want to bring awareness so that maybe, one person's heart can be saved from breaking.  We want to do it to hopefully help save a life.  We would also like to make tributes to those that have unfortunately left us.  We want to do it to help survivors like ourselves.

The Journey to Hope will raise vital funds which we very strongly feel should be allocated locally.  Funds raised from this event will be used in the following possible ways:

• To support the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and SAFETALK Suicide Prevention and Intervention Programs so they are even more accessible to people in our community and to students in our schools.
• Implementing the Yellow Ribbon Campaign.
• Forming a Suicide Crisis Hot Line.
• Providing resource materials for the community.
• Creating publicity highlighting the community resources available for those in crisis/at risk.

Donations are Welcome:  If you would like to support us in our mission to promote suicide awareness and prevention please click here

Journey to Hope is a fundraising walk supporting suicide awareness and prevention.

The purpose of this walk is: 

HOPE to those who feel hopeless by sharing resiliency information and counselling resources.

HEALING to the bereaved by offering grief information and support resources.

HONORING the memory of those who have completed suicide by reaching out to the hopeless and hurting.

 Check out SaskTel Max Local on Demand for

“A Journey to Hope”

A short documentary featuring our own Journey to Hope and local individuals raising awareness around suicide.

OUR SUCCESS & CONTRIBUTIONS

Journey To Hope 2008 saw participants raise $8,000.00

In 2009 we were very successful in raising $10,000.00

In 2010 fundraisers raised $6600.00

Journey To Hope 2011 saw participants raise $13,491.90!!

These funds are being used to provide suicide awareness and prevention information for the community of Moose Jaw, SK and beyond.

Funds raisedin 2008/2009 have provided corricula for counsellors, "Warning Signs" information cards for youth, suicide awareness and prevention resources for teachers, and have supported suicide awareness training in various schools and colleges.

In 2010 alone funds raised purchased:

•  Tattered Teddies Workbooks and More Than Sad DVD Packages for School Counsellors in Prairie South & Holy Trinity School Divisions.
• Sponsored Tattered Teddies training for Prairie South School Division Counsellors as well as numerous other participants.
• Sponsored Safe Talk training for numerous individuals.
• Donated $2000.00 to Canadian Mental Health Association to support their Friends for Life Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program.
• Purchased the DVD packet "The Truth About Suicide" for SIAST Palliser Campus in Moose Jaw.
2010 also saw us accomplishing our vision of distributing a widespread publication sighting suicide awareness and prevention along with community resources to 18000 homes in Moose Jaw and community.  This publication was an insert in the Moose Jaw Times Herald called "Journey To Hope"
 
Funds raised in 2011 have allowed us to do great work in raising suicide awareness in the community and to support many organizations who bring hope. As of February 2012 some of the funds have been distributed as follows:
• Posters and Pass-it-On cards for Suicide Awareness
• CMHA SafeTALK training of 20 MJ Generals hockey players, SIAST Home Health Aid Students, and Riverview Hockey Academy.
• Hope T-Shirts for Riverview Collegiates "To Write Love On Her Arms" event.
• Cash Donations to local organizations who bring hope to the community.(see below)

Journey to Hope Moose Jaw Inc. representatives: Donna Bowyer, Kathy Mealing, Tammy McCleary, Carolyn Graham and Della Ferguson are shown presenting a cheque for $1000 to David Harrison, Operations Manager of Riverside Mission.  This cheque is being presented with gratitude, for the good work that Riverside Mission offers in giving hope to the hurting in our community.  Photograph taken by Brenda Moore, Journey to Hope Committee Member

 Journey to Hope Moose Jaw Inc. chose to honour the work of Moose Jaw Transition House with a donation of $1000.00 for their work in bringing hope to mothers and their children by offering safe refuge and support services during extremely stressful times in their lives.  Pictured in the cheque presentation are from left to right: Tammy McCleary, Kathy Mealing, Karen Closs (Moose Jaw Transition House Director), Carolyn Graham and Della Ferguson.  Picture submitted by Brenda Moore.

Journey to Hope Moose Jaw Inc. made a cheque presentation of $2500.00 to Donna Bowyer, Director of the Moose Jaw Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, as a gesture of gratitude for CMHA's partnership in raising suicide awareness in our community and a contribution toward further awareness work.  Bowyer is a certified SuicideTALK; SafeTALK; ASIST; Tattered Teddies and Mental Health FirstAid Trainer.  Shown are Journey to Home committee members: Della Ferguson, Tammy McCleary, Donna Bowyer (CMHA), Carolyn Graham and Kathy Mealing.  Photo taken by Brenda Moore, Journey to Hope Committee Member.

Journey to Hope Moose Jaw Inc. honoured Joe's Place for their work in bringing hope to the youth in Moose Jaw through a donation of $1000.00.  Making the presentation are: Kathy Mealing, Tammy McCleary, Joe Dueck (Joe's Place Executive Director), Carolyn Graham and Della Ferguson.

The Warning Signs of Suicide

Here is an easy to remember mnemonic

IS PATH WARM

I Ideation

S Substance Abuse

P Purposelessness

A Anxiety

T Trapped

H Hopelessness

W Withdrawal

A Anger

R Recklessness

M Mood Change

A person in acute risk for suicidal behavior most often will show:Warning Signs of Acute Risk: • Threatening to hurt or kill him or herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/herself; and/or, • Looking for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means; and/or, • Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when these actions are out of the ordinary.These might be remembered as expressed or communicated IDEATION. If observed, seek help as soon as possible by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a referral.

Additional Warning Signs: Increased SUBSTANCE (alcohol or drug) use No reason for living; no sense of PURPOSE in life ANXIETY, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time Feeling TRAPPED - like there’s no way out HOPELESSNESS WITHDRAWING from friends, family and society Rage, uncontrolled ANGER, seeking revenge Acting RECKLESS or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking Dramatic MOOD changesIf observed, seek help as soon as possible by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a referral.

 A SUICIDE ATTEMPT IS MADE EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY 

Small steps can make big strides in supporting the awareness and prevention of suicide.

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