Speaking Up, Gaining Purpose
During this time of uncertainty, we at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention wanted to share hopeful and inspiring stories from our volunteers – those in communities around the country who continue to do amazing work in the fight to #StopSuicide.
This piece originally appeared as a Volunteer Spotlight Story in AFSP’s 2019 Annual Report. For other inspiring Volunteer Spotlight Stories, and to learn more about our programs, and our mission, visit afsp.org/2019report.
After losing her mother to suicide, volunteer Dimple Patel participated in an Out of the Darkness Walk in 2014. Still, she found herself unsure of what to say, and uncomfortable sharing who she was walking for.
“Nobody talked about it, not even in my family. Everybody – my dad, my grandpa – they all said it was a heart attack. Even I said it, too. There’s a big component within the South-Asian cultures to keep things within the family. When I finally told my friends, they kept asking why. Why did she do it? What was going on? And I didn’t have the answers to some of it. I realized that if I wanted change to happen, especially within the South Asian community, I needed to speak up. I also needed to learn more.”
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