By Tate Papworth
Kerry King knows the value of a kind word better than most.
She has offered warm words and support for parents and families bereaved by suicide for a number of years through The Compassionate Friends Western Suburbs Support group in Sunshine.
Ms King lost her son Lee to suicide nine years ago and said the support group has been a lifeline.
“It’s very hard because family and friends … they don’t want to talk about it,” Ms King said.
“Where[as] you can go to this group, cry, laugh. You can say the funny things they did or the naughty things they did. And you know you’re keeping your child alive inside of you.”
Next week marks World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, and RU OK Day, September 12. Both days are designed to encourage people to talk about suicide and check in with friends or family who might be doing it tough.
However, Ms King said without the appropriate training, it can be difficult to have effective conversations.
“You just really don’t know sometimes how to get into that conversation,” she said.
“And if they do say, ‘no I’m not feeling OK’, then it’s hard to try to say, ‘well, can I help you’.”
The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network is attempting to make the conversations easier.
The network is offering 500 free registrations for online suicide prevention training for people living in Brimbank.
The training teaches people how to recognise the warning signs of a suicide crisis in others and how to respond. Participants also learn how to question an individual’s desire or intent regarding suicide, persuade them to seek and accept help, and refer them to appropriate resources.
“If a lot of people could do that conversation [ask ‘are you OK’], it would be a great thing,” Ms King said. “I wish somebody had done that for my son.”
For more information, email suicideprevention@nwmphn.org.
