One of the main motivators for attempting this
project was September 10 2005.
This important date was designated World Suicide
Prevention Day. Which is strange, because I didn't hear or read one word about this 'signifcant' date in the British
media. If it wasn't for the Internet, and many well informed and highly specialist websites from around the English speaking
world, I would never have noticed.
This not only underlined the global nature of
the problem, but it also demonstrated the potential of the Internet to actually do something positive about it - on
a global stage.
For too long suicide has been ignored. Treated as
some form of unwelcome inheritance, or genetic abnormality in the family genes which no member of the family feels
comfortable talking about.
In this respect Suicide Stands Alone.
Unlike the doomsday viruses of our present age
which appear to develop and spread at an alarming rate; only to be replaced by another as soon as a pharmaceutical giant
develops a miracle cure... Suicide truly stands alone.
It stands out from modern diseases such as AIDS
and other doomsday viruses. These plagues seemingly emerge at a random time and place, and are then transported
across the face of the planet to destroy their victims.
Compare this scenario with suicide, heart disease
and cancer where the cause of death is always within each and everyone of us.
However the anti AIDS campaign is an exemplary
campaign and can teach us much about how to combat health issues on a global stage.
First and foremost, suicide needs to be universally
identified, perceived and acknowledged to be the global killer which it is.
Then - can it be addressed by the global
community.
Until then, we, the English speaking peoples, can
play an invaluable role in the raising of global awareness. If we alone, join together to organise the elimination of
suicide through every possible means - any partial success we achieve (individually or collectively) no matter how small
- would save lives, prevent a lot of human suffering, and provide a long overdue beacon of hope for our species.