Jamie Tworkowski started TWLOHA in 2006 to help a friend, Renee Yohe, get the treatment she needed. He and his friends prayed for her and did everything they could to help her. They are friends with Switchfoot, and even made them some t-shirts to wear during their concerts. What did those shirts say? To Write Love on Her Arms. That's how it got started. Jamie and his friends began making shirts and selling them to pay for Renee's treatment. Now, because of Jamie deciding to make a difference, over 150,000 people in 40 different countries have gotten help through TWLOHA since it started.
A lot of times, I feel like depression, self-injury, and suicide is overlooked. Because, 'not that many people struggle with it'. Maybe it's because we don't know how to handle it. And maybe the people that struggle with these things, feel like no one cares, so they don't speak up about it.
Maybe these statistics will help open your eyes, and make you realize these things are a lot more widespead than you think.
-121 million people worldwide suffer from depression. 18 million of those are in the United States.
-Two thirds of the people who struggle with depression, never seek treatment.
-Every 16 minutes, someone dies from suicide.
-One in eight teens say that they have self-injured.
-Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. (NIMH)
-The World Health Organization estimates that each year, approximately one million people die from suicide.
-Suicide is among the three leading causes of death in ages 15-44.
-Suicide attempts are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicides.
I don't know about you, but the first time I read those, I found some of them shocking. A lot more facts have come out about these things lately, but a lot of us are still uninformed. And even if we are informed, some of us tend to push these issues into the corner, because talking about them would be 'awkward' or 'uncomfortable' for you. But talking about them really could save a person's life or give them hope.
Hope. That's a word that's thrown around often, isn't it? "I hope we're having pizza for lunch!" or "Man, I REALLY hope that boy likes me!" or "I hope I get that iPod for my birthday." But, hope is bigger than that. Dictionary.com defines hope as "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or events will turn out for the best; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence". That is the hope people are looking for. They want to be able to feel that events will turn out for the best. They want to be able to look forward to things with confidence. A lot of times, in someone's situations, their hope is lost. Things look so dismal that they have no hope left. They don't expect hope. Chad Moses, part of the TWLOHA team, said, "Hope is not always expected, but that's what makes it so much more beautiful in the end." And Renee Yohe, so desperate for hope when she started this journey, made it a point to remind everyone that you ALWAYS have hope. She said, "The stars are always there but we miss them in the dirt and clouds. We miss them in the storms. Tell them to remember the stars. To remember hope. We have hope." No matter what, there IS hope for you. No matter what your circumstances. Renee Yohe had a horrible life, yet she had enough strength to say that no matter what, we all have hope. And you know what? She was right. Hope is always there.
TWLOHA's catchphrase, or whatever you want to call it, is "Hope is real. Rescue is possible. Love is the movement." I couldn't have said it better. I've already covered hope. Rescue is possible. you may have to take the initiative, but it's possible. There's always a way out. And love is DEFINITELY the movement. Love changes everything. Love can make the difference between life and death. Love. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? But how many of us actually go out and try to love people around us? I know I don't always. But I know that knowing all of these things, I have to try my best. because I want to make a difference. There's someone out there who is in desperate need of love, and you could be the one to show them that love.
If you're reading this, and you've struggled with any or all of these issues, PLEASE don't hesitate to get help. http://www.twloha.com/find-help/ This link has some good places to find help. Please, take the initiative.
Honestly, I don't really know why I wrote this post. Maybe it's because I feel like people really aren't as informed as they should be and writing this will help inform people. Maybe it's because I want someone reading this to find hope. I don't know, but I know this is all important to me and I hope it changes something for someone.
If you want to find out more about TWLOHA, read the full story, buy merchandise, or find help, it's all at http://www.twloha.com/ .
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