An overview of the open forum held by Oswego’s Public Relations Student Society of America
This article contains discussions of suicide and self harm.
On Thursday November 18th, students from SUNY Oswego’s public relations course 318 and the Oswego Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) held an event to talk about mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
As audience members gathered in the auditorium, the event’s speaker Jamie Leszczynski, an ‘04 graduate of SUNY Oswego, stood at the front of the venue wearing a shirt with the words “it’s a good day to be happy” written across the front. Little did the audience know that Leszczynski was going to tell an emotional story that would bring tears to the eyes of many and provide some important perspective.
Jamie began her story by saying, “Life is by no means easy—believe me. But I believe that it’s good to have obstacles and challenges. You need hills to climb, you need a broken heart, your pockets should be empty at times, and it’s okay to fall down every once in a while—it makes you who you are, and stronger because of it.”
As she continued to speak, she recalled her days of “living it up” at Oswego as she pursued her degree and spent time with her friends. As almost all college students know, living on or off campus means experiencing the freedom of living alone and making adult decisions. So, when Jamie’s sixteen-year-old brother Ryan called and asked to move in with her, she denied his request because she stated it was her time to be alone. After two intense conversations with Ryan, Jamie spoke about not knowing that her brother had been struggling with things at home. On August 7th 2002, Ryan took his own life.
Tears filled the eyes of many attendees inside the auditorium, including my own. Ryan was a musician and caring person that was loved by many. Even though Jamie still deals with the heartbreak everyday, she uses her voice to share Ryan’s story and shed light on such an important topic.
“Bad days, weeks, or even months will come for all of us, but you’re stronger than you realize. People care about you and your life— there is help out there and there is help here on this campus. There are people that care about you, and each and every one of us matter.”
-Jamie Leszczynski
The event also consisted of an open forum format, so attendees were offered the chance to ask questions. Multiple students raised their hands and asked questions about helping those who suffer with depression or how they can find support without having a supportive family. Even though Jamie is not a counselor, she spoke with such comfort and provided great advice to all those who sought it.
After Ryan’s passing, Jamie became the founding member of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education in Central New York (SAVE CNY) in order to help those who share the same experience and want to shed light on the importance of mental health. She is also the Senior Director of Communication for Oswego Health and actively helps every year with the Strive to Save Lives, an event that brings in hundreds of community members who want to make a difference and raise awareness for mental health.
As the event came to a close, Katie Mahaffey, Client Relations Manager for Aqua Spa Health and Wellness Boutique, spoke to the audience about the services that Aqua Spa has to offer and how they can help with mental health. In addition, a QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer representative offered some insight into a suicide prevention training and how students could get involved.
Overall, the event brought in a wide array of audience members and both speakers received a round of applause for their kindness and willingness to speak on such an important topic. With an unprecedented year due to COVID-19, mental health is such an important topic to talk about. As a college student that knows how much stress myself and my peers experience, I am thankful that this event was held.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please know that you are not alone and there are resources that can provide guidance and help.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education