The organization To Write Love on Her Arms is paying a visit to Eastern Michigan University this Tuesday night at seven in the Student Center Ballroom.
To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) is an organization committed to giving hope and help to those who suffer from depression and addiction and battle suicide and self-injury.
The non-profit organization was started in 2006 as a grassroots movement to help one young woman, Renee, pay for rehab after she got turned away at the door. They printed T-shirts and raised money, all to try to get one 19-year-old the help she needed to overcome her addiction to drugs, alcohol, and self-mutilation.
Now, almost 4 years later, the organization has stopped helping just one woman and has developed into an international charity. They’ve responded to over 80,000 messages sent from at least 40 different countries.
They’ve also brought music into the fight against the struggles that over 19 million people face, problems that can lead to the third-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 18 and 24: suicide.
Bands like Switchfoot and Anberlin proudly wear the TWLOHA shirts on and off the stage to raise support and awareness for the organization and its cause.
Now, on the tour that’s coming to EMU, writer of Renee’s story and founder of the organization itself, Jamie Tworkowski, and Ryan O’Neal of Sleeping at Last, are presenting a free discussion that is open to the public all about what TWLOHA hopes to accomplish.
They hope to spread the word that rescue is possible, and encourage people struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts, addiction and self-mutilation to get the help they need.
Sometimes, spreading the word can be half the battle. Untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide, and with over an estimated 60 percent of those who suffer from depression going untreated, it can lead to major problems.
One of the issues untreated depression can lead to is self mutilation, another struggle that is championed by TWLOHA. This has been an issue that was widely ignored until a little over a decade ago when Princess Diana confessed to struggling with self injury in 1996.
Another problem that can arise from depression is addiction. One of the biggest struggles facing those who deal with addiction is the stigma that goes along with it, and only an estimated 10 percent of people who need help with it look for it. To Write Love On Her Arms supports the Addiction Project, and provides the public with easy access to articles written by experts in the addiction field.
The most well known and prominant issue that stems from depression is suicide. The World Health Organization reports that suicide rates have risen over 60 percent in the last 45 years, with mental disorders like depression being a main cause in 90 percent of cases.
One of the organization’s goals is to raise awareness and bring more attention to the growing problem. To help with this, they still make shirts, like the ones sold to help Renee pay for rehab, with the proceeds going toward themselves and other organizations like National Hopeline Network, Self-Abuse Finally Ends, and Kids Help Line. TWLOHA merchandise will be avaliable for purchase at the event
For more information, merchandise, help, or to make a donation, go to www.twloha.com.
If you or any one you know is thinking about suicide, call 1-800-SUICIDE.