Media Release
Mangaluru, Sep 7: Established under the aegis of Susheg Charitable Trust (Regd) with support from leading educational institutions like St Agnes College, St Aloysius College, Roshni Nilaya and a number of concerned citizens and philanthropists, the Suicide Lifeline became operational in Mangalore in October 2017.
Suicide prevention, promotion of mental health, creating awareness, training volunteers, sensitizing the community and publishing literature on mental wellness are the objectives of the lifeline. Twenty-five trained volunteers are attending to distress calls twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. The Suicide Lifeline (0824) 2983444 has been a ray of hope for more than 60 callers since its inception. Our teams of facilitators have also addressed administrators, teachers and students in and around Mangalore on topics related to mental health and wellbeing.
September 10 is commemorated as World Suicide Prevention Day with the theme ‘Working together to Prevent Suicide’.
The Suicide Lifeline has organized a ‘Walk for Life’ on this day to sensitize the community and to generate awareness on suicide and its prevention. The walk would commence from Light House Hill Road in front of the main gate of St Aloysius College at 7 am and end at Nehru Maidan (Football ground). Students from Colleges in and around Mangaluru, NGOs and concerned citizens will join the ‘Walk for Life’ holding placards. There will be a placard contest on suicide prevention for students and prizes will be awarded for the most creative and educative placards.
Deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, IAS will flag off the walkathon from Lighthouse Hill and suicide survivors Shilpa of Hallimane Rottis and Simon will release the balloons.
Commissioner of Police T R Suresh IPS will address the gathering at Nehru Maidan at 8:30am which will be followed by a short programme on suicide prevention for 10 minutes by PG students from Roshni Nilaya. To spread awareness in the community, the automobile stickers issued in public interest by Brian Fernandes, managing editor of Spearhead Media and Publications, Pvt Ltd and his team will be released by a philanthropist Abdul Rauf Puthige of Vishwas Bawa Builders.