Podcast Opens Candid Discussions about Suicide
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 13 to 30 years and the 10th overall cause of death in the United States. Each year, nearly 49,000 Americans die by suicide.
In a recent episode of the podcast “UnSilent: Candid Conversations About Suicide Prevention,” Matthew Wintersteen, PhD, director of the David Farber ASPIRE Center, leads a discussion on surviving the loss of a loved one to suicide.
The David Farber ASPIRE Center, housed within Jefferson’s Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, is a comprehensive facility focused on suicide prevention and related behavioral health conditions that may contribute to suicide risk.
Participating in the podcast is Amanda Blue, MPH, education director at the David Farber ASPIRE Center, who lost both her husband and son to suicide, and Ellen and Bill Farber, the sister and son of David Farber for whom the center is named, and who died by suicide in 2012.
The three speak openly about the struggles to understand why suicide happens, the guilt, the overwhelming grief and anger, and how to move forward.
One topic covered in the podcast is the stigma attached to suicide.
Ellen Farber says the family didn’t include the cause of death in her brother’s obituary because “13 years ago we weren’t talking about suicide as publicly as a country.” She considers it a step forward that the stigma is slowly dissolving through education, a better understanding of depression and suicide as a disease, and the availability of resources that can help prevent it in many cases.
Bill Farber explains that he did not post on social media about how his father died until the David Farber ASPIRE Center opened. “I wanted it to get out there more and for people to understand.”
“Since my losses occurred, I’ve met many people who’ve shared stories about how it was not revealed right away, revealed later, or never revealed… people in families who find out 30 years after the fact that this is how your mother died, or your grandmother died,” says Blue, who specializes in suicide prevention, mental health education, and community outreach. In her role at the David Farber ASPIRE Center, she provides leadership in the development, planning, and implementation of educational initiatives for professionals and community members.
The three also discussed how they found their way forward through discovering opportunities to make a positive impact in suicide prevention.
For Blue, it is dedicating her life to prevention and education efforts. Aside from her work at the David Farber ASPIRE Center, she has served as executive director of Prevent Suicide PA and as chair of the Chester County Suicide Prevention Task Force, where she advanced collaborative strategies to reduce stigma and save lives. In addition, she continues to direct the Mental Health First Aid public health program across Chester County with the Chester County Office of Mental Health.
For the Farbers, it is through the establishment of, and ongoing support for, the David Farber ASPIRE Center, which opened in 2022 on the 10th anniversary of David Farber’s death.
Ellen Farber shares that this marked an important moment for their family to come forth and say, “This is what occurred, and now we have an opportunity to do something.”
“It’s beautiful what the David Farber ASPIRE Center is doing to help others and their families heal from this. Because ultimately, that’s what we’re all here for—to heal,” Bill Farber says.
Wintersteen says that suicide prevention is a community effort. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988; counselors are available 24/7. The David Farber ASPIRE Center is available as a resource for all areas of suicide prevention and can be found at JeffersonHealth.org/ASPIRE.
Continued philanthropic support is necessary to advance the efforts of the David Farber ASPIRE Center in clinical care, innovative research, and education for both professionals and community members.