Walk from Darkness into Light for Pieta House

What?          Darkness into Light – the annual fundraiser for suicide and self-harm crisis centre Pieta House

 

When?         This Saturday morning, 12th of May at 4.00am

 

Where?        The Scout Hall, Abbey Street, Roscrea, and 13 other locations around the country

 

Who?           Thousands of Pieta House supporters

 

 

Suicide and self-harm crisis centre Pieta House’s annual fundraiser, Darkness into Light, will take place in Roscrea and 13 other locations around the country at 4am on Saturday morning, 12th of May. Thousands of people will gather in darkness and walk, run or jog from the darkness into the light as dawn breaks. This event is symbolic of the work that Pieta House does – they bring people from darkness back into the light.

 

There was a significant rise in the number of people seeking help from suicide and self-harm crisis centre Pieta House in 2011. The biggest increase was in the under-18 age group which saw an increase of 93%. Females accounted for 70% of this age group. This age group also had the highest instance of self-harm. There was an increase of 86% in the 26-44 age group, who made up nearly one third of those accessing Pieta House’s services.

 

“Darkness into Light aims to build awareness about suicide and where people can seek help, create social change by viewing suicide with compassion and kindness and offer solace to those who have lost someone to suicide,” said Joan Freeman, CEO and Founder of Pieta House. “As Pieta House’s services are free of charge, fundraisers such as Darkness into Light are vital to ensure that we can continue to be available to those most in need of help. Our yearly running costs are now at €1.3 million.”

 

Joan is calling on people from all over Tipperary and surrounding areas to bring two friends with them to walk, jog or run the 5km route to raise funds and increase awareness about suicide and self-harm intervention. Registration information and route details are available online at http://dil.pieta.ie/.

 

 

About Pieta House

 

Pieta House is a suicide and self-harm crisis centre. It is the only organisation in the country providing a professional, face to face, free of charge therapeutic service for people in the acute stages of suicidal distress. The primary aim of Pieta House is to reduce suicide by helping people get through that critical phase when suicide becomes a plan rather than just an idea.

 

For more information log on to www.pieta.ie