Why Jump Out of a Perfectly Good Airplane?

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2015

For Information Contact
David Lamb: 205.602.1984
[email protected]

WHEN: Saturday, August 29th at noon

Sue Martin and Kat Lawson are choosing to take on this daring mission because they want to draw attention to suicide prevention and lived suicide experiences. Both are survivors of suicide attempts and recognize that lives are saved one at a time by talking out loud about this growing problem. Sue Martin says, “I believe the reason I was put on this earth is to help prevent suicide attempts. It is my Kismet (Arabic for destiny). Kismet also happens to be the name of Sue’s impish German Shepard Seeing Eye Dog. Kat Lawson is a therapist and says, “If my clients can hurt out loud to me, then I can conquer my fear and hurt out loud by jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.”

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention day. The purpose of this event is to get people in the state of Alabama talking about the problem. Without open discussion, lives will continue to be lost to suicide.

We would also like to see the language of these discussions change. The commonly used term is “Commit suicide,” implying that a person has committed a crime. At one time it was considered to be a crime to take one’s own life. The public needs to understand the act of trying to take one’s own life comes from a place of deep anguish and desperation. The families of those who kill themselves are left reeling and riddled with guilt because they are left wondering what they could have done to save their loved one. Open, honest discussion is the only way to save lives.

Kismet Out Loud is a grass roots organization, which was recently founded as a safe place to discuss mental health issues. It meets the second Thursday of each month at noon at St. Mary’s on the Highlands Episcopal Church in Birmingham. 1910 12th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205
933-1140

###