One More Moment: How and why we created this series
Jan 31, 2022
By Cara Williams Fry
Senior Vice President & Chief Content Officer, WITF
We answer questions you may have about our approach to One More Moment and the substantial increase in suicides in Pennsylvania from 1999 to 2018, according to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. The number of deaths due to intentional self-harm were overwhelmingly male – 25 deaths per 100,000 population. (Source: American Health Rankings)
We’re talking with people of all ages and backgrounds about their experiences and how they are dealing with their mental health, their loss, or their daily struggles.
People who:
- attempted suicide and live to talk about their one more moment
- lost a loved one to suicide
- think about suicide every day
- want to help prevent suicide
How and why did WITF launch this series?
Our staff is deeply committed to covering suicide and its impact on individuals, families, classrooms, and communities. What was once a topic never discussed, is now a growing need to understand, talk about and work to prevent suicide.
We created a group of stakeholders, educators and a subcommittee of people who have researched and identified ways to prevent and discuss suicide. We developed a stand-alone website filled with stories from people of all backgrounds who were and are impacted by suicide. We collaborated with other organizations to curate information that helps open the doors to communication, reduces stigma and talks openly about suicide. This information is organized to help you find guidance in a way that makes sense to you.
Why does this series focus on surviving suicide?
When a person takes his or her life, those left behind often are left with so many questions: Why did they do it? Is there something I could have done to help? With alarming suicide rates and an increase in stigma surrounding suicide and suicide attempts, we developed a place for stories to live – stories from people who attempted suicide and live to discuss their One More Moment with you.
Those who share their stories come to WITF and in one-on-one interviews talk about their truths, the reasons behind why they wanted to die, their thoughts as they considered what could have been their final decision, and what might have made a difference for them to pull back from the brink. We hope their lived experience will help others understand a simple fact: No one is alone.
Why did you decide to include additional interviews of people that were not survivors?
As we examined the series, we found there is a lot of hurt from people who survived the loss of a loved one to suicide. We do not want to exclude anyone who wants to discuss their experience and feelings around suicide. But most importantly, we want to make sure people understand their need for support.
What are we hoping this series will achieve?
We aim to decrease the stigma around suicide by talking openly and honestly about the problems that so many face. Knowing that you are not alone is important. Everyone’s journey is unique, and we can help each other by sharing our stories. There are resources to help.
This issue impacts many people and has even more ripple effects in families, schools, and communities.
There is help.
We would like to hear from you.
To share your story or get involved with our project please email onemoremoment@witf.org
One More Moment was developed with support from:
