I have heard the words, “I don’t want to be alive anymore” too many times. From patients to loved ones, it is always gut-wrenching to hear. Mental illness can affect anyone, and life can change instantly.In 2019, my family experienced the impact of this firsthand. My father went through a roller coaster of mental and physical challenges, exacerbated by a medical interaction due to a brain tumor. At that time, I was training to become a clinical psychologist. Yet, for much of my first year of grad school in Boston, I spent my spare time with my father in Philadelphia. What was supposed to be an exciting new chapter, turned into the worst year of my life. I came to understand that mental illness is multifaceted and the effects of mental health concerns are far-reaching.More than 700,000 people die by suicide each year (WHO, 2023). A person does not have to be depressed to have suicidal thoughts. I want to be part of the mission to research why suicidal thoughts occur for some people more than others. I want to be the therapist patients count on to help manage difficult thoughts and emotions. I hope to be the friend and family member people can go to for a nonjudgmental ear and to let you know it’s more than OK to not be OK.Running has always been part of my self-care. I started running in middle school, later turning it into a passion and form of therapy as an adult. As a sprinter who struggled to run 3 miles, never did I think I could run a marathon. When I moved to Boston in 2018 to start my doctorate in psychology, I began running 5Ks through Samaritans.This April, I am honored to be running the 128th Boston Marathon for Samaritans. Samaritans is a nonprofit suicide prevention organization who serves the community through outreach and support. In addition to a 24-hour hotline, they offer grief support to those who have lost loved ones to suicide, and seminars to educate the public on suicide prevention.Fortunately, my father is doing very well today. He asked me to share his story to destigmatize mental health and encourage those struggling to seek help. I admire my father beyond words and hope to help many others, so they can improve as well. Please consider supporting me on behalf of Samaritans, Inc. Together, we can help save lives.Follow along with my training here:Strava- Danielle Moskow DiamondInstagram- @dmoskow