North End resident Callahan McGuinness will be running this year’s Boston Marathon to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention as part of the Samaritans Marathon Team.
McGuinness is running for a very personal reason – she lost her brother to suicide and is now committed to helping Samaritans, Inc., which operates a 24/7 crisis services phone and text Helpline; runs suicide prevention workshops for schools, businesses, and community groups; and offers SafePlace support groups for those who have lost someone to suicide.
“Each of our team members have been touched by suicide and are passionate about raising awareness and educating the public about this important issue,” said Executive Director of Samaritans Steve Mongeau. “The stigma and misinformation that surrounds the discussion of suicide and suicide prevention is an unfortunate reality. Our Marathon runners are performing a tremendous service to our organization and the community at large, and are helping to save lives.”
This is the 12th consecutive year that Samaritans has received bib numbers for their Marathon Team. They will once again be participating as a non-profit partner in the John Hancock Non-Profit Marathon Program.
