Coliseum Health System and Kindred Hospice will host the Fifth Annual Suicide Awareness Symposium at Riverside United Methodist Church in Macon on Thursday, April 11. The free symposium will begin with a breakfast at 8:30 am and feature Dr. Cesar Figueroa, a psychiatrist at Coliseum Center for Behavioral Health.  His presentation will address how to help survivors of suicide.

The free event is designed to create more awareness and prevention in the area of suicide. Anyone is invited to attend, but the symposium hopes to attract pastors and chaplains; fire and police department personnel; educators; medical personnel; social workers; funeral homes; behavioral health centers; and any other organization that is interested in suicide prevention.

Dr. Figueroa said, “Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and an estimated 9.8 million Americans think about or attempt suicide.  Events such as this bring community leaders together to discuss a problem that is affecting our community and work towards solutions for mental health issues.”

There is no cost to attend the symposium, but registration is required before April 9.  For more information about this event, contact Franchetta Trawick, Coordinator for Patient Relations & Chaplaincy Services at Coliseum Medical Centers at [email protected] or (478) 464-1401.