Side by Side after suicide — John’s blog
Tomorrow people who have been bereaved by suicide will come together for an event in Glasgow. Side by Side After Suicide will be an opportunity to come together, celebrate and remember loved ones.
They’ll have an opportunity to hear from people bereaved by suicide about projects which have helped them and to meet others who are part of the suicide community.
We hope that this event will help to build connections for people who have been bereaved by suicide and help to break down the stigma associated with suicide.
John Gibson lost his son Cameron to suicide in 2019. He’s now a hugely active member of the suicide prevention community in Scotland. John will be playing a leading part in tomorrow’s event. We asked him to share his thoughts ahead of the day.
A blog from John, who lost his son, Cameron, to suicide in 2019
Hello! If you are planning to be at the “Side by Side after Suicide” event in Glasgow on Saturday 14th September, I’m glad you’re coming along.
If you are anything like me then any sort of socialising event can feel a bit daunting. I lost my son, Cameron, to suicide at age 24 in October 2019.
COVID lockdowns came soon after that in 2020 so that gave us an excuse to avoid speaking to anyone for months as we stepped out on this strange grief journey.
But I then found my way to a SOBS group in Edinburgh, and I realised the positive impact of meeting others who had faced suicide in their family or in a friend or colleague — no judgement, just support, care and love.
My hope is that you will find something similar on Saturday in Glasgow.
This could be the first time that you meet another person — mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, auntie, uncle, granny, grandpa, friend, colleague — on a similar grief journey to you.
And that might just make a difference — as it certainly did for me. So, please come.
Please find yourself, as I have, in the midst of a new family — what I call my suicide family.
You’ll meet some amazing people who, like you, have a story to tell of the impact of suicide and who have found hope and the possibility of moving forward, just a step at a time.
You’ll get a chance to meet Sue Henderson and her team who have worked together on making a magnificent memorial quilt with the names and memories of our loved ones.
You might have seen Andy, Tim and Mike on national television as “3 Dads Walking” — they will be there too, sharing their grief journey following the loss of their daughters to suicide.
You’ll have the chance to meet some amazing people from national charities and find out how they might help us on each of our grief journeys.
If you want to sit and think for a while, then that’s just fine but you might also want to join in on the Wellbeing Walk through the City centre and along the River Clyde, or take part in a crafting session — the choice is entirely yours.
There will also be food, along with music and poetry — and if you need a safe space to have a good greet (as I certainly will), then there will be someone there to help us with that too.
The day will end with a beautiful act of remembrance led by celebrant Clare Haworth.
This is a new thing for Scotland, and we need it — a chance to come together to support each other as we all try to move forward on our grief journeys — each one unique but bound together by this experience called suicide.
Let’s give it a go and be together — “Side by Side After Suicide”.
See you there!
We’ve launched a new Suicide Prevention Scotland YouTube channel where you can find a range of films, including a new series of powerful features with people working in suicide prevention.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help, speak to someone you trust or call one of these helplines:
- Samaritans 116 123 or use the online chat at samaritans.org
- Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87
- NHS 24 mental health hub on 111
If you are ever in immediate danger or have the means to cause yourself harm you should dial 999 and request an ambulance.
