Save a seat, save a mate

Posted on 14 November, 2016

We lose around 50 Canberrans per year through suicide. That means four people a month and one person a week.

According to the recently released ABS report, suicide is the leading cause of preventable death in Canberra in those aged between 15 and 44 years of age. Statistically, at least one person is thinking of crossing the line each week and ending their life.

All the more incomprehensible is that the most recent statistics relating to suicides in the ACT have shown a substantial shift towards the young and also pregnant women.

There are various contributing factors that can push people to that point of desperation where they contemplate taking their own life. Unfortunately, many suffer in silence without realising that help is out there.

Lifeline Canberra is part of a national charity organisation that provides 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. It’s a time-proven strategy for preventing suicide and helping callers to work through personal issue to avert crisis. Unfortunately, the organisation’s Canberra telephone crisis support center does not have the resources to answer every call.

“Lifeline Canberra exists to save lives, and change lives for the better,” says Carrie Leeson, Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Canberra.

“We have only 12 staff supporting over 700 volunteers working in various capacities to support those in crisis, but we need help to do more.”

It’s a message highlighted by Save a Seat, an intense campaign supported by Canberra media, focusing on the impact and issues surrounding suicide in our city.

The campaign works on the basis that every time we lose a loved one to suicide, a seat in our community (classroom, workplace, family home) becomes empty. However, with help from the community, Lifeline Canberra can fill more seats in the telephone crisis support center and prevent many more seats from becoming empty in the community.

Rachel Stevens, ACT Young Woman of the Year 2016, knows all too well the value of the service. A former victim of continuous bullying at school, she says “I didn’t feel like I had a future and the voice inside of me kept saying ‘give up’.

“Yet deep down I still had that doubt and so dialed up the number for Lifeline. I don’t remember the lady’s name, but she was able to reach into that space, to show me that I wasn’t isolated. She helped me to find the reason to keep going, and that was amazing.”

Ms Leeson says that by working together, the community and Lifeline can create a ‘suicide-safe’ community.

“We urge Canberrans to get behind the campaign, assess what their capacity is to contribute to a more resilient and safer community and take action.”

You can help to make a difference and save more lives by donating just $26, which is the cost of a Lifeline phone call.

Find out more and donate at saveaseat.com.au