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Recent Suicides Raise Awareness

 

Countless Americans have relatives, friends, or colleagues who have committed suicide. When Fox 4 Kansas City meteorologist Don Harman took his own life last week, many people realized that suicide can affect those whom we least suspect.

Today we take a look at suicide, suicide prevention, grief counseling, and the struggles for surviving family members. We'll talk with Bonnie Swade of Suicide Awareness Survivor Support and psychologist Jason Berman about why suicide rates rise during certain times of the year, what effect the economy is having on suicides, and what support is available for those with suicidal tendencies.  We'll also talk with Marilyn and Gilbert McClure, who lost their son, Starker's Restaurant owner and chef John McClure, to suicide in October.
 
We also want to hear your stories.  Have you lost a family member, friend, or colleague to suicide? Did you see the signs -- or do you wish you had been more proactive? Let us know by calling 816 235 2888 or email us at uptodate@kcur.org. You can also post comments and questions on KCUR's Facebook page or Tweet them to@KCURUptoDate.

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As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
Stephen Steigman is director of Classical KC. You can email him at Stephen.Steigman@classicalkc.org.