State College Coming Together to Prevent Suicide & Raise Awareness

On Wednesday night, State College will join countless communities across the world in solidarity by lighting candles in remembrance of loved ones lost to suicide.

For the third year running, the Jana Marie Foundation will host an Evening of Hope, Healing and Remembrance at the Lemont Granary from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. to pay tribute to loved ones who took their own lives and stand in solidarity with the family and friends left behind.

Jana Marie Foundation director Marisa Vicere wants to help families who have lost a loved one to suicide begin to heal. Having lost her own sister Jana Marie to suicide, Vicere understands how important it is to be able to find support and hope in your community in times of tragedy.

“Any sudden death is difficult to process and wrap your head around, and with Jana it came as such shock. Even though she’d struggled with depression, you’d never expect that,” Vicere says. “We wanted to figure something out so other families won’t have to go through what we did.”

The Evening of Hope, Healing and Remembrance will bring together families and suicide survivors to raise more public awareness about the leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds, Vicere says. The event will feature art created by Skills of Central Pennsylvania clients and other community members, music by State College native Zach Maser and personal stories from speakers whose lives have been impacted by suicide.

“Having any connection to people who have had a similar experience, even if didn’t result in loss, is a nice feeling, just knowing there are others out there,” Vicere says. “There’s so much sadness around this, so knowing that other families can offer you support, knowing we can come together as a community, is amazing.”

In addition to working to prevent suicide, the Jana Marie Foundation is also behind the Stompers project, which aims to empower youth through creative expression. File photo by Michael Martin Garrett/StateCollege.com

But Vicere isn’t stopping there. With the help of the Centre County Commissioners, she’s had all of September declared Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month – and she’s partnered with other local groups to put on two more events to combat suicide in the State College community.

On September 15, the Jana Marie Foundation will host its free, monthly Straight Talk series at the Mount Nittany Middle School from 7:00 to 8:30, continuing a partnership between the foundation, the State College Area School District, the Centre County Youth Service Bureau and Communities that Care.

September’s straight talk will focus on the topic of resiliency and helping kids find their way to a meaningful life. Dr. Leo Flanagan, founder of the Center for Resilience, will come down from New York to help parents, teachers and kids develop coping skills to overcome life’s difficulties and encourage good mental health.

“Resilience is very much connected to this idea of suicide prevention,” Vicere says. “Everyone faces adversity at some point in their life. Knowing how to cope with it and come back from it is important, so our hope is that this conversations can start to teach parents and kids the different ways we can bounce back from the trials in our lives.”

The Jana Marie Foundation will also partner with the Mount Nittany Health and the Penn State Hershey College of Medicine to bring renowned psychologist and Thomas Jefferson University professor Matthew Wintersteen to town on September 17.

Wintersteen will speak at the Mount Nittany Medical Center will speak to medical provides, caregivers and behavioral health professionals about risk factors and warning signs for suicide, and how these professionals can work in their communities to prevent suicide. Although the even is geared toward health professionals, community members are also welcome to register for the event.

“We really want people to know that suicide is preventable, and if you’re ever feeling depressed or suicidal there are hotlines you can call and people who want to help you,” Vicere says. “We want to remind people that they are not alone. There’s so much support in this community.”

Vicere reminds everyone that the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is always open to anyone struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts at 1-800-273-8255.