Elizabeth Saylor is fulfilling a lifelong dream by running the Boston Marathon for the first time. She is doing so in honor of her father, with the goal of raising awareness about mental health. Her journey to this point has been emotional, as her father took his own life when she was 13 years old. This difficult experience has highlighted the stigma surrounding mental health that prevents open conversations about it.
Saylor’s commitment to this cause goes beyond her personal achievements, as she recognizes the impact that her actions can have on a wider community. Through her participation in the Boston Marathon, Saylor is showing her support for the Stepping Strong Center’s important work in offering suicide prevention training services through its injury prevention program. Every 11 minutes, someone dies by suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Saylor’s motivation to support this cause comes from her own family tragedy and she hopes to inspire others, especially young girls, to confront their fears and grow from them.
As she prepares to take on the Boston Marathon, Saylor carries the memory of her family with her. This endeavor is a tribute to her mother, brother, and father and a testament to the strength they instilled in her. By pushing herself to embrace discomfort and overcome challenges, Saylor hopes to inspire others and continue the important conversation about mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Motivated by her father’s death, Saylor has made it her mission to increase awareness about mental health, especially regarding suicide prevention. She believes that it is important for everyone to have access to resources that can help them understand how mental health works and how they can prevent suicides. In order to achieve this goal
