“Collateral Damage, Images of Those Left Behind by Suicide,” will be a book of portraits, website and gallery exhibition of people who have had loved ones die from suicide. When I was 16 years old (I’m now 44) my father died from suicide. Although I never hid the fact that my father took his life, I often felt that I was left dealing with my pain and recovery in solitude, social stigma and loneliness. Throughout my professional career as a Paramedic and Firefighter, I often saw the beginning of the same pattern in the suicide calls that I attended to. I so often found myself wanting to say to grieving and demolished family members, “I know how you feel.” This pattern leaves the survivors of today feeling the same way I did 27 years ago. It is my hope that the Collateral Damage project will begin to change this.
Project Yellow Jersey was the vision of Scott Chisholm who wanted an autographed Lance Armstrong Tour de France Yellow Jersey to donate to the Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre as a symbol of hope for cancer patients. On June 23, 2006 this became a reality with the help of Olympic Cycling Champion Curt Harnett. At North Central Fire Station and In front of over 500 people including 400 students from Bishop Gallagher School the Yellow Jersey was officially unveiled and presented to Michael Power on behalf of the Cancer Centre. The Yellow Jersey can now be found at the entrance to the Chemotherapy Room at Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre.
