“The first year we’d 400 people walk in the Phoenix Park, last year we’d 80,000 people walk across our country.”
Pieta House founder Joan Freeman talks about Darkness Into Light, the fundraiser turned worldwide event that sees people come together to take a stance against suicide every May.
This year’s 5km walk, or run for the more ambitious, takes place at 4.15am in 80 locations across the world.
With 63 of these venues in Ireland, this year will also see events in London, New York, Canada and Australia.
“As it is our flagship fundraising event it enables us to sustain our life-saving services across our nine centres nationwide,” says Oliver Skehan, Digital Co-ordinator with Pieta House.
“Furthermore, it’s about increasing awareness about the scourge of suicide and self-harm and more importantly it’s about hope.
“Hope that things can and will get better, hope that our work will continue to shine a light into the dark crevices of people’s despair and hope that people will reach out to each other, to find comfort in the support of others in what can be very, very testing times.”
Details on Darkness Into Light and how to register are available at DIL.pieta.ie
Video via Pieta House/Electric Ireland
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