Running the Distance for Suicide Prevention

On April 16, 2012, I will run the 116th Boston Marathon. I am running for the third time on the Samaritans' Marathon team for a reason much more important than the personal challenge of completing the 26.2 mile course. I hope you will consider being one of my sponsors for this event.

As you may know, I lost someone very near and dear to my heart, my cousin Christian Caldaroni, to suicide on May 31, 2005.  Since then my life has been forever changed.  I was introduced to the Samaritan's through their SafePlace support group. I now volunteer as a facilitator at the Quincy SafePlace group and on their Survivor to Survivor Network team. I know firsthand how important their services are to people like me and have seen how many others have benefited from all that they do.  This organization has been a lifeline for me and my family, and I will be forever grateful for all of their help and support. 

All proceeds generated from this year's team will benefit Samaritans' suicide prevention services including our 24-hour crisis helplines, which answered over 150,000 calls last year; our prevention services that provide hundreds of Community Education and Outreach workshops annually; and our Grief Support Services that provide support to thousands for those who have lost a loved on to suicide. For more information about Samaritans life-saving programs, please visit our http://www.samaritanshope.org.

Will you join me as a part of the team? I will do the running and together we will support their important mission to reduce the risk of suicide and not let another person endure the pain of losing someone they love to suicide.  I have committed to raising $5,000 again this year to help in these efforts.

No matter how you decide to contribute, please know that your support will help ensure that our confidential and anonymous befriending services remain available to the members of our community who are feeling lonely, desperate and suicidal.

Thank you for your continued support!

Nicole Costa

In Loving Memory of Christian Caldaroni

10/10/74 - 5/31/2005