FACES OF SUICIDE AWARENESS WALK SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2021

FACES OF SUICIDE  RAISING AWARENESS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION.

MARIUS MAXIMUS FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROJECTS

WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY MATTERS, YOUR STORY, YOUR LIFE, YOUR HARDSHIPS MATTERS TO US. PLEASE TELLS US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH YOU AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE MENTAL HAPPINESS

TELL US WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE...

Please share your stories with us…

We would like you to share stories about your loved ones and any hardships you are having. What have you done, where you have gone, what you have tried to get the help you need for your children or yourself as a veteran to get the Mental Health you/they may need? You can share your stories to our Foundation email at info@mariusmaximusfoundation.org and you can share anonymously, or you may allow us to share your account on our feature page using your real name, whichever you may choose.

Our only goal is to create awareness of the REAL issues in our community with Mental Health and the Stigmas attached to them. Even if you know of someone and would like to share their story but wish to keep their name anonymous, we will respect your requests. Please help us raise awareness of this crucially important issue in not only our community of Cumberland County but in the entire United States.

We ask for your help from our community because my son Marius Maximus did not ask for help until it was almost too late, and when he did, he got turned away for not having identification,  it cost him his life. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE CAN CHANGE THE OUTCOME BECAUSE EVERY LIFE MATTERS.

Thank you for all your support and understanding in this matter of utmost importance.

Ilana Sheppard
Founder/President

Our Founder and her husband organized our first-ever Faces of Suicide awareness walk; they accepted 100’s of pictures from families that lost loved ones to Suicide and wanted to have them remembered. Ilana and her husband prepared picture walls that contained over 650 photographs of lost loved ones. They had to turn people away when time ran out, and they did not have enough help to get to every picture. This broke their hearts, as they wanted to remember as many lost loved ones as they could for these grieving families. We did not accept donations for this event. Free hot dogs and water was provided thanks to Food Lion and Store Managers Brian Oswalt, Chris Daniels, and Dianna Torres.The only thing that the Founder wanted to do with this walk was to raise awareness about the 47 000 people that lose their battle to depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders every year, not including people under the age of 18. That is 1 person every 11 minutes taking their own life. 1 Veteran lost every 22 minutes due to Suicide, and most of these loved ones just fade into that grey area of “that’s a shame, if only someone knew, maybe they are better off…” all these things that people who have never lost a loved one to Suicide say out of the goodness of their hearts to make us feel better. Not knowing that this is preventable, with counseling. With the help that should be readily available to people who have these thoughts and feelings. And these people should not be treated like criminals when they go and ask for help. Instead, they should be treated with kindness, understanding, and compassion because they need it. Change the STIGMA, speak their truth and save a life today.

Click the button for the walk video on YouTube.

A STORY BY WRAL.COM

TELLS OF THE FEELINGS, EMOTIONS OF WHAT ILANA EXPERIENCED WHEN SHE FOUND HER SON HAD DIED FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND, AND SHE WARNS PARENTS THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE.

THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO SUICIDE, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, AND MENTAL HEALTH, HINDERS MANY FROM RECEIVING THE HELP THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED.

ABC 11 MENTAL HEALTH COUNCIL

In November 2021 Ilana was invited to be part of the ABC 11 Mental Health Council when there was a National Emergency Declared for Children’s Mental Health due to the increase in suicide attempts amongst teenagers during the pandemic. The CDC has seen an increase of 31% in suicides, and 51% in suicide attempts in children ages 12-17 during the pandemic. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in teenagers in the United States, only lead by motor vehicle accidents, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States. And each year suicide claims the lives of more than 3 million people worldwide making it the second leading cause of death in the world.  

Follow our story link below to get more information from the ABC 11 Mental Health Council.

Follow the link for the entire story.

Surgeon General Warning of Suicide influx during the pandemic in teenagers.

With suicide on the rise within the last year, the need for services to provide affordable or free Mental Health care is more important now than ever. That is why The Marius Maximus Foundation for Mental Health is focusing on doing our best to provide these services to our community and those who are at risk. Even though our focus is on ages 12 through 25 and veterans of all ages, we will consider helping other members of the community based on a full assessment of the individual’s personal and mental health needs. 

Read more of the story by following the button below…
Suicide increase in teens