About 30 people walked the Westlock Rotary Trail last Friday and collected more than $5,000 for the Mental Health Foundation based in Edmonton.
The walk was organized by Boyle resident Tammie Nikipelo for July 11: exactly four years since her son Bradley took his own life.
Walking has been a way to help process the grief and turn something tragic into a positive by raising awareness about this issue that affects countless Canadians.
“I thought that if people could become more aware and talk about suicide and mental illness, it could take the stigma away and people could feel less ashamed, scared or embarrassed,” she said.
In 2013, she walked the 145 kilometres from Boyle to Alberta Hospital Edmonton, a mental-health facility that serves northern Alberta. That walk was a difficult one for her, but was crucial for her to come through her grief.
“I had given up, only to stand back up,” she said. “I have fought through tears and sweat, and came to realize this fight is worth it. Awareness brings wellness, and hope through understanding.”
Westlock-area mental health and addictions counsellor Jack Adkins took part in the walk and said in his prevention-based line of work, raising awareness is one of the most important things to do.
“We are in preventative work, and the way suicide is now, it’s kind of like a taboo. You don’t talk about it,” he said. “How can you prevent something if you don’t know what’s happening?”
Athabasca-area mental health and addictions counsellor Paul Deveau echoed that sentiment, saying he was proud to be part of an event that aims to build awareness.
“As much as it hits home for us, I know for the work I do there’s a lot of people out there who don’t talk about suicide,” he said. “Doing an event like this is a stepping stone. It will bring more people together and get more people talking about it.”
Westlock’s Christine Vachon, who lost her daughter Nelly to suicide about eight months ago, also took part in the walk with friends and family in support. She has started the Soul Sisters Memorial Foundation to raise money for suicide prevention and raise awareness about mental health. A concert the foundation is putting on in September, featuring Westlock-born country singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson, has already sold out.
“Our goal is to do an event a year to bring awareness,” she said. “My grandsons and nieces and sisters have come to support Tammie and bring awareness as well.”
