Sudbury event aims to change the narrative on suicide
An event honouring and remembering those affected by suicide is being held at Bell Park in Sudbury on Sunday.
It comes just two days before World Suicide Prevention Day, held annually on Sept. 10.
The event will feature guest speakers and sessions surrounding the theme of 'Changing the Narrative on Suicide.'
Matthieu Bonin, 37, is one of the guest speakers at the Sept. 8 event who will be sharing his story about suffering from severe depression 10 years ago.
"I think that when you have felt despair, you don’t want anyone else feeling that way," Bonin said.
"And I just want you to know that you can get better from a place you don’t think you can get better from."
He wrote a book, 'Light from Darkness,' about his journey with depression and admits he thought about suicide multiple times.
"I got hospitalized and I lived things that I didn’t even know existed," Bonin said.
"The worst of it, I was in catatonia, so I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, prisoner of my own body. And I just thought 'my life is over, my life is done, this is it, it’s just suffering now.'"
He said when someone is in that state, it is hard to visualize ever getting well again.
"That is what despair feels like, so you stop trying," Bonin said.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
Turning to swimming for healing, he swam halfway around Manitoulin Island two years ago to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease his aunt died of.
Above-average suicide rates among northern Ontario youth
Compass is the lead agency for child and youth mental health services in Sudbury and is one of the community partners hosting the event.
Its CEO, Mark Fraser, said the event hopes to address the significantly higher suicide rates in northern Ontario.
"Our youth continue to have higher rates of suicide, as high as 86 per cent, than the provincial norms," Fraser said.
"2SLGBTQ experience 17 times higher risk of suicide and youth from Indigenous backgrounds continue to experience five to six times higher suicide rates."
Suicide alertness training
At the event, the Suicide Safer Network is hosting two free safeTALK workshops specific to supporting and starting that conversation with those who may benefit from suicide intervention.
The event is taking place Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Elizabeth Street Gazebo in Bell Park.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Donald Trump was the subject of 'an assassination attempt,' FBI reports
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
LIVE UPDATES 2024 Emmy Awards: 'The Bear,' 'Fargo' and 'Hacks' win acting awards
'Shogun,' 'The Bear' and 'Baby Reindeer' at the topo of the queue as the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards arrive on Sunday.
B.C. to open 'highly secure' involuntary care facilities
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
Calgary police honour 3 Calgarians who helped save Lanny McDonald’s life in airport incident
The Calgary police paid tribute to a trio of Calgarians who saved the life of Lanny McDonald at the airport in February, 2024.
They came from Jamaica for work, now they're homeless and out thousands of dollars in lost wages
Abuse of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has left a group of carpenters from Jamaica 'destitute' after an Ottawa company refused to pay them for nearly half a year of work.
Montreal bars, restaurants react to Quebec bill to regulate merchant tipping requests
Quebec tabled a bill on Thursday that would regulate how merchants determine suggested tips, forcing businesses to calculate them based on the price before tax. Restaurant staff and management are divided on the policy.
Greater Sudbury resident dies in 5-vehicle crash involving 3 motorcycles near Port Dover
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
Queen Victoria's favourite Tuscan villa for sale for more than US$55 million
Once a favoured holiday destination for Queen Victoria, and reputedly described in one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the Villa Palmieri is steeped in history and could now be yours – if you have more than €50 million (US$55 million) lying around.
Liberals will let Conservatives hold non-confidence vote 'fairly soon', no intention of proroguing Parliament
The Liberals have no intention of using procedural tactics to delay the Conservatives' promised non-confidence motion, and they have no plans to prorogue Parliament to hold onto power, according to Government House Leader Karina Gould.