Presenter: Xavier Whitford, 815 Suicide Prevention Advocate/Mental Health First Aid Instructor

Xavier Whitford will be joining us to have a community conversation about the factors that lead to suicide and how it affects our community.

Winnebago County is losing an average of 41 lives to suicide annually and research shows that a minimum of 115 lives are directly affected by every life lost to suicide. Many factors lead to suicide. Whitford believes that education and open dialogue about these factors and preventative measures can make a positive impact.

After losing her 19-year-old-son, Tommy, to suicide because of depression in 2014, she became a strong community advocate for suicide prevention and education. Join us to hear her powerful story and have an open conversation about this important and tough topic.