Thousands to Walk from Dusk Until Dawn to Fight Suicide in Boston and Dallas

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Annual Walk Cities Selected for 2015

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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Oct 14, 2014, 09:54 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is proud to announce the cities where its two Out of the Darkness Overnight Walks will be held in 2015. The Dallas Overnight will be held on April 25, 2015; and the Boston Overnight will be held on June 27, 2015. Suicide is a serious issue for both Massachusetts and Texas as it is the 12^th leading cause of death in both states – this means that on average, one person dies by suicide every three hours in these two states.

Thousands to Walk from Dusk Until Dawn to Fight Suicide in Boston and Dallas (PRNewsFoto/AFSP)

The Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk is the largest annual fundraiser held by AFSP. Participants from across the country walk more than 16 miles from sunset until sunrise to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention. Money raised from the walks support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). AFSP funds research, creates educational programs, advocates for public policy, and supports survivors of suicide loss.

"Every year suicide claims more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined, and yet suicide prevention doesn't get anywhere near the funding given to other leading causes of death. It's through the work of organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention that funds are raised for this important issue," said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. "We look forward to the Overnight host cities: Dallas and Boston to help in this grassroots fundraising effort. Together, we can put a stop to this tragic loss of life."

Each walker raises a minimum of $1000 to participate in the Overnight walk. Since its inception in 2002, more than 26,000 people have participated in an Out of the Darkness walk, 4,500 people have volunteered, and over $30,000,000 has been raised to support the cause.

This is the first time Dallas is hosting the Overnight and the second time the walk has taken place in Boston—the first was in 2010. The walk route will be announced in the days leading up to the events.

AFSP is launching a marketing campaign in both cities to raise public awareness by asking people to "Walk all night to fight suicide."

Suicide in Texas
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15-34 in Texas. Suicide cost Texas a total of $2,706,195,000 of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2005, or an average of $1,119,187 per suicide death. More than twice as many people die by suicide in Texas annually than by homicide; the total deaths to suicide reflect a total of 61,660 years of potential life lost before age 65.

Suicide in Massachusetts
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15-34 in Massachusetts. Suicide cost Massachusetts a total of $310,662,000 of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2005, or an average of $1,053,093 per suicide death. Almost three times as many people die by suicide in Massachusetts annually than by homicide; the total deaths to suicide reflect a total of 11,796 years of potential life lost before age 65.

To register for the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk, please go to theovernight.org.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP, www.afsp.org) is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide. To fully achieve its mission, AFSP engages in the following Five Core Strategies: Funds scientific research; Offers educational programs for professionals; Educates the public about mood disorders and suicide prevention; Promotes policies and legislation that impact suicide and prevention; Provides programs and resources for survivors of suicide loss and people at risk, and involves them in the work of the Foundation. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has 67 local chapters with events nationwide. Review the Annual Report to learn more about AFSP's life-saving work. Join the national conversation on suicide by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention