Melody Seiger Awarded Advocate of the Year Award by Nation's Largest Suicide Prevention Organization

News provided by

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Jun 13, 2016, 08:02 ET

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On average, one person dies by suicide every 8.5 hours in the state of Missouri. The nation's largest organization dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gave an award to Melody Seiger of Laddonia, Missouri, for her exemplary leadership in advocating for suicide prevention, and inspiring others to do the same. The Field Advocates of the Year award was presented to Ms. Seiger at the AFSP Allies in Action awards presentation on Sunday, June 12 at the Liaison Hotel in Washington, D.C. Melody lost her mother, France Clark to suicide 23 years ago.

"I have the deepest admiration for Melody Seiger. Melody is helping to change the conversation about suicide. Through her hard work and dedication, we are able to educate policy makers about the importance of suicide prevention and the need for additional resources and support for those affected by suicide," said Bob Gebbia, AFSP CEO.

Seiger was the lead planner of the first 2016 Missouri State Capitol Day, which brought the three Missouri chapters of AFSP and volunteers from across the state together to advocate for youth suicide prevention in schools as well as in institutions of higher education. Melody also regularly submits testimony and attends hearings in the state capitol regarding suicide prevention legislation.

Suicide in Missouri
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the state of Missouri. Over twice as many people die by suicide in Missouri annually than by homicide. Suicide cost Missouri a total of $1 billion of combined lifetime medical and work loss cost in 2010, or an average of $1.1 million per suicide death.

** Photos of the award being presented available upon request. **

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.