Help and Hope Southcoast launches a new web-based show tonight with a look at suicide prevention, featuring host Beth Perdue and guest speaker Brian Fernandes, whose work with suicide began with the death of his son three months before his high school graduation.
Wellness Wednesdays will examine mental health challenges and responses each week through a series of conversations with local organizations, advocates, and providers who, like Brian, are working with those in our communities who need help.
A lifelong New Bedford resident and founder of the Nicholas Wayne Fernandes Memorial Foundation and Scholarship Fund, Brian believes we can all help prevent suicide.
“If you are unable to be an advocate for all those suffering or lost to mental illness, at least be an advocate for your loved one,” he said. “Don't let their silence continue through you, be their voice.”
Join us at 7 p.m. tonight to hear Brian talk about the rising numbers of suicides taking place in the region and discuss ways we can all contribute to stemming the tide.
Whether you know someone who has died from suicide, has attempted it, or is struggling with thoughts about ending their life, it’s important to learn more about what we, as individuals, can do to help.
Help and Hope Southcoast is a broad-based coalition of providers and stakeholders who are committed to ending stigma and strengthening mental health. The campaign is led by Carl Alves, of PAACA, Rev. David Lima, the Inter-church Council of Greater New Bedford and Leslie Poulin, Senior Director of Marketing at First Citizens Federal Credit Union.
Wellness Wednesdays will stream live each Wednesday on New Bedford Guide. The Help & Hope Southcoast campaign is funded with a grant from the Southcoast Community Foundation.