
Cal Healy, Vice Chair GMC, The Hospital Saturday Fund, presenting a grant of €13,000 to Caroline Lafferty, CEO, and Noel Mostyn, Operations Manager, Fight Against Suicide.
About Cycle Against Suicide
Cycle Against Suicide is an awareness charity that makes a valuable contribution to the public education of mental health by changing the narrative surrounding suicide. When an individual is vulnerable enough to consider taking their own life, silence is read as indifference.
With hundreds of people dying by suicide in Ireland each year and research indicating that thousands more contemplate it, we all have a role to play to collectively address the challenges that suicide presents. In a bid to save more lives, Cycle Against Suicide through its programmes, sets out to change culture and create a society that openly talks about suicide to allow people to speak up and seek help.
The Gap in Support
While educators are being equipped to support students with mental health concerns, parents often find themselves on the back foot. This lack of preparation can later cause issues for parents who’ve nurtured open and loving relationships with their children. Witnessing a sudden shift in their child’s behaviour can leave them feeling just as frightened and confused as the child they’re trying to help.
When a child or teenager experiences mental health struggles, it creates a ripple effect, impacting the entire family. Parents naturally strive to provide the best support possible, but news of rising self-harm and suicide rates can fuel deep anxiety. This intensifies the stress of the situation, eroding their self-belief – a crucial tool for navigating the often long road to recovery.
The HELP programme
Cycle Against Suicide’s HELP (Health Educators Leading Parents) Programme is designed to educate and empower parents to understand and support positive mental health in their children. Accurate information instils confidence, optimism, and self-belief in parents, which can serve as a wellspring of resilience for their children when they encounter challenging times.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that parental support is key to young people’s well-being and recovery. Indeed, research exploring what best helps children and teenagers recover from episodes of mental health challenges has found that the role of parents is crucial.
The Grant
The Hospital Saturday Fund presented a grant of €13,000 to Cycle Against Suicide. The grant will go towards the HELP Programme. Through this educational programme, parents will help their children develop resilience and coping skills, which are crucial for managing mental health challenges.
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