Volunteers Take a Pie in the Face to Raise Suicide Awareness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2014) — As National Suicide Prevention Month winds to a close, the University of Kentucky Counseling Center decided to add one more event to Tuesday’s UK Wildcat Wellness and Suicide Prevention Fair, the Doubtfire Face for Suicide Prevention challenge, where volunteers smack their own face with a whipped cream pie to increase awareness of suicide prevention.

With the loss of beloved comedian Robin Williams to suicide in August, the center’s staff thought this allusion of the “ALS ice bucket challenge” would appeal to the campus community. In the movie "Mrs. Doubtfire," Williams' character impersonates an old lady and attempts to conceal his identity by slamming his face into a cake. Learn more about the suicide prevention campaign here:  http://www.bustle.com/articles/35839-robin-williams-famous-mrs-doubtfire-scene-inspires-a-fantastic-new-suicide-prevention-campaign-video.  

The UK Counseling Center (UKCC) has enlisted a number of students and university employees, including Student Affairs Vice President Robert Mock, to take a pie to the face. The volunteers will smash a “pie” of whipped cream in their own face while discussing the importance of suicide prevention and encouraging folks to donate to a suicide prevention organization. 

Faces will dive into whipped cream pies from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the Wellness and Suicide Prevention Fair Tuesday, Sept. 30, on the Student Center patio. The UKCC staff will be “pie-ed” during the 11 a.m.-noon hour. In addition, Mock and Jake Ingram, Student Government Association president, have agreed to be pie-ed sometime during the three-hour event.

The #doubtfireface challenges will be videoed, allowing participants to challenge other people to participate in their videos. They can also share that video on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The UKCC will be sharing the videos on its social media accounts as well. You can see other videos made by following the  #doubtfireface or #sayhellotosuicideprevention on twitter or Doubtfire Face for Suicide Prevention on Facebook.

“We decided to create an event at UK around Doubtfire Face to reduce the stigma about suicide on UK’s campus,” said Megan Marks, senior staff psychologist for UKCC.

In addition, Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR), a suicide prevention gatekeeper training for those not trained as professional service providers, will be offered.  Taught internationally, QPR provides basic information related to recognizing that someone may be at risk for a suicide attempt, being able to sensitively and effectively intervene, and referring to resources appropriate to the situation (ranging from the 1-800-273-TALK/8255 crisis line, to hospitalization/911 for emergent risk). QPR gatekeeper training can be provided to teens through retirees, to build knowledge, skill and confidence to be able to help.

"Suicidal individuals rarely talk first to a behavioral health professional or other service provider," explained Mary Bolin, Counseling Center's director. "As with most life crises, individuals talk to the people to whom they have some relationship – friends, family, coaches, teacher, clergy, academic advisors, partners. It is often frightening, even shocking, to hear someone say that they want to end their life. Suicide prevention training can save a life by allowing a concerned person to provide more skilled support – rather than the most common response. . . . . silence."