About Us
Centre for Suicide Prevention is an education centre, based in Calgary, Alberta. We are a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
We are educators. For 40 years, we’ve been equipping Canadians with the information, knowledge and skills necessary to respond to people considering suicide.
We educate online, in print, and interactively. Our library of over 48,000 suicide-specific items, the largest English-language collection of its kind, informs the work we do.
How long has the Run for Life been going on?
This is the 6th annual Run for Life; the first was an in-person event in September 2018. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Run for Life became a hybrid event.
Do I need to be in Alberta to participate?
We’re based in Calgary, Alberta, but participants have joined in from every province in Canada and we’ve also had international participants from Australia, Germany and the US.
How much has Run for Life raised for suicide prevention?
Since 2018, nearly $300,000 has been raised for suicide prevention.
Can talking about suicide cause suicide?
Talking about suicide does not cause people to think about killing themselves; it reduces the risk of suicide attempts for those who already have suicidal thoughts.
Should suicide prevention be left to professionals?
No. Anyone can learn to how to help someone considering suicide (learn more).
If someone I know is having thoughts of suicide, what can I do to help?
If the person considering suicide is in immediate crisis, the emergency room is an appropriate level of care. Alternatively, you can call the Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566, 24 hours a day.
If they are not in immediate crisis, you can help them create a safety plan.