New York, NY (June 24, 2008) – The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24-hour crisis hotline, announced today that it has launched a new online forum to help prevent suicide called Lifeline Gallery (www.lifelinegallery.org). The announcement was made by Dr. John Draper, Project Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The new online forum uses speaking avatar products to enable suicide survivors, attempt survivors, and suicide prevention supporters to share their stories of hope and recovery. The compilation of stories illustrates the many ways in which suicide affects others and offers comfort to those who may be suffering alone.
“The media frequently reports tragic stories of suicide and rarely tells the stories of those who have found ways to cope with suicide loss or found a reason for living after a suicide attempt,” says Dr. Draper. “If someone is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing the pain of losing a loved one, we encourage them to look at Lifeline Gallery and discover that they’re not alone. We also encourage them to express their feelings about suicide in a non-threatening environment where they can create an animated image of themselves and share their story. Their story can help us all spread the word that suicide is preventable and affects us all.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) has used a generous donation from Simpsons’ producer James L. Brooks to develop Lifeline Gallery, an engaging online tool to raise awareness about suicide prevention and to reach people who have had difficulty talking about suicide in the past. “If you can’t, maybe your avatar can,” says Christopher Gandin Le, co-creator of the Lifeline Gallery. “We’re taking user-generated content to new levels by creating an intentionally compassionate space. The Gallery offers a safe platform for people who have traditionally stayed silent about suicide and mental health. It’s time to say what you have to say about suicide and suicide prevention.”
There are three categories from which users may choose: Loss, Turning Points, and Helpers. Once a category is selected, users are prompted to create their avatar, which is a personalized animated image. Users may modify their age, hair color, clothing and accessories. To share their stories, users are then prompted to record their voice by telephone.
The technology for Lifeline Gallery was provided by Oddcast, an industry-leading company that develops and distributes speaking avatar products. Lifeline is the first nonprofit organization to work with Oddcast. "We are proud to be a part of this very important cause," said Adi Sideman, CEO of Oddcast. "Speaking avatars are a proven tool for spreading key messages across the Internet. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is offering an interesting forum to allow people to tell their stories without judgment or prejudice."
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is a nationwide network of 131 local crisis centers. Lifeline is federally funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Link2Health Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City. Launched in January 2005, Lifeline provides free and confidential crisis counseling to anyone in need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-273-TALK.
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