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By Darcella L. Lambert
On April 12, NeighborUp funding enabled Removing The Stigma to host the Survivors of Suicide Loss Luncheon: A Day to Remember, at the Stella Walsh Recreation Center, located on Broadway Avenue in Cleveland. The event provided a supportive space for those grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide. The luncheon welcomed 51 guests, which included two youth, five males, and 44 females, highlighting the diverse individuals impacted by suicide loss within the community.
As the keynote speaker, Removing The Stigma Founder Denise Holcomb shared her deeply personal story, reflecting on the loss of her youngest brother, Calvin, to suicide, and the profound impact of keeping that loss a secret for 16 years, when her only son, Derrick, died by suicide. The death of her son, Derrick, led her to speak out about her brother Calvin’s death and break the stigma of suicide loss.
In the years that followed, she and her niece, Darcella L. Lambert, founded Removing The Stigma, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and offering hope to individuals while working to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and suicide.
Removing The Stigma 12200 Fairhill Road Cleveland, OH 44120 (216) 325-7755
Website:https://www.rtstigma.org/ email: [email protected]
