New foundation to help prevent suicide
Pictured in Ballyshannon at the launch of the '''Mark's Memorial Bike Run'' in aid of GRASP. which take's place on Sunday, July 29 at 2pm in Ballyshannon. Photo Thomas Gallagher 0507TG100
The newly-formed GRASP for Life Foundation is founded on the premise that the educational aspect of suicide coupled with crisis intervention is vital in the prevention of suicide
This organisation is being established by Mrs. Mary McTernan, who co-founded the STOP organisation in 2005 in the aftermath of losing her son to suicide. Over the intervening years, Mary has trained as a psychotherapist and is currently providing a counselling service to clients who are feeling suicidal.
She told the Donegal Democrat: “Our mission is to support those experiencing emotional distress or thinking of suicide through professional therapeutic counselling and support by psychotherapists trained in the area of suicide prevention.”
The GRASP Life Foundation’s aim for the future is to open a centre, covering Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal providing a specialised counselling service and programme for those having suicidal thoughts. The centre will also help those affected by suicide with a support team of trained and accredited psychotherapists.
The GRASP Life Foundation will endeavour to meet the National Quality Standards recently developed by the National Office of Suicide Prevention for the delivery of services by organisations to those bereaved by suicide in Ireland. Organisations who meet these standards will be accredited and audited to a set of minimum standards.
Those who contact the Grasp for Life Foundation can be assured that all calls will be answered by a trained professional in suicide intervention and prevention.
All callers will be treated with respect and total confidentiality is assured.
Bike Run
The first fundraiser for GRASP for Life Foundation is Mark’s Memorial Bike Run on Sunday, July 29 starting at 2pm from the Allingham Bridge, Ballyshannon.
This is the 3rd Mark Memorial Bike Run, an Annual Motorbike event in memory of Mark Reynolds from Creevy, Ballyshannon and The Spring Bar, Den Haag, Netherlands. Mark died on July 5, 2009, just a couple of weeks short of his 38th Birthday.
This event annually is to support suicide awareness and responsibility and the people who work day and night to try to help others as he did.
One of the organisers, Mark’s mother Molly said: “We hope to see all our old friends and supporters back this year. Please spread the word and bring along your friends as there will be music and lots of fun events for all.”
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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