"I left the hospital alone and went back to my apartment. I just could not stand thinking about my life anymore and so I decided to kill myself by jumping off the balcony. We were five stories high ... At the very last second as I hung onto the railing of the balcony, I did not want to die, but it was too late. I landed on the parking lot pavement."

-- Anonymous submission to The Reasons to Go On Living Project

The woman who wrote this was eventually diagnosed and medicated for bipolar disorder, reasoned her family was worth living for and started a business.

Her story is among the first-hand accounts Dr. Jennifer Brasch plans to share at the 8th annual Suicide Prevention Conference.

Brasch, director of psychiatric emergency services at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, is one of three keynote speakers at the conference, organized by The Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton.

As part of The Reasons to Go On Living Project, Brasch aims to better understand people who wanted to die, but chose to live. About 15 people submitted their stories online to thereasons.ca, which has received more than 2,000 hits from as far as Japan, France and Morocco.

"The greater awareness people have about suicide as an issue ... and the value of intervening with people at risk, can only serve to benefit anyone who is suffering with mental health issues," she said.

The other keynote speakers scheduled are Ron Ellis, former Toronto Maple Leaf and Stanley Cup winner and psychological associate David Masecar.

Ellis will talk about his personal struggle to overcome clinical depression. Masecar will discuss postvention, an intervention conducted after a suicide to offer support for the bereaved.

Jason Beattie, chair of the Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton, hopes the conference helps lift the stigma of suicide.

That goal was also a driving force behind Lucy Maud Montgomery's granddaughter recently revealing for the first time that she and her family believe her grandmother, the famed author of Anne of Green Gables, committed suicide.

Montgomery's family was applauded for generating public discussion of mental health issues, after her essay was published in The Globe and Mail earlier this month.

Brasch said the family's openness only helps the cause.

"It shows that people can be highly intelligent, highly productive and can still, unfortunately, become deeply desperate."

About 3,700 people in Canada commit suicide each year, an average of 10 suicides a day, according to Statistics Canada. It's believed that for every suicide, there are about 20 attempts.

For more information visit spcch.org.

cprete@thespec.com

905-526-2487

Prevention conference

What: 8th annual Suicide Prevention Conference, organized by the Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton (SPCCH)

When: Tues. Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Michelangelo Event Venue & Conference Centre, 1555 Upper Ottawa St.

Cost: $75 per person, $50 for SPCCH members, $30 for seniors and volunteers

Contact: Betty-Anne at 905-388-9228 or e-mail info@spcch.org by Oct. 17

Resources

* Crisis Outreach and Support Team 905-972-8338

* Suicide Crisis Line 905-522-1477

* Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868

* Telecare Burlington Crisis Line 905-681-1488

* spcch.org

* suicideprevention.ca

* cmha.ca

* suicidology.org

* yourlifecounts.org