Heroes of Suicide Memorial March and Candlelight Service hosted by Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch 10 set for Sunday, Sept. 22

The ninth annual Heroes of Suicide Memorial March and Candlelight Service will be held in East York on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion, Todmorden Branch 10, at 1083 Pape Ave., the event pays tribute to the men and women of the Canadian Forces, first responders and other public servants who have lost their lives to suicide caused by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

At the Legion Cenotaph at 7 p.m., candles will be lit and placed in remembrance of these heroes as well as the many others whose names the organizers are unable to mention because their families are still grieving.

The Candlelight Service will be preceded by the Memorial March which begins at 6:30 p.m.

Participants in the March are asked to gather at nearby Gamble Avenue and Todmorden Lane at 6:15 p.m. The Memorial March will travel west along Gamble to Pape Avenue, and then head north to the Todmorden Legion Branch 10.

There will then be a wreath placed at the Legion Cenotaph in memory of all veterans, and Canadian Forces members from the 20th and 21st century will pass a torch.

Additionally, the rededication of the Soldiers of Suicide (SOS) Memorial Plaque will be part of the service. As part of the remembrance service for the Toronto Fire Department, Toronto Paramedic Services, and the Canadian Navy, there will be bell ringing.

Along with the family and friends of the heroes being honoured and remembered, local dignitaries invited to attend the Heroes of Suicide Memorial March and Candlelight Service include Toronto-Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin; Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns; Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher; and Dilnaz Garda, President of Canada Beyond the Blue.

PTSD-related mental illness that lead to suicide are more widely recognized during September, which is Suicide Prevention Month.

The Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch 10 is committed to ensuring that members of the Canadian Forces, first responders and their families have access to supports and services to offer moral support to families of the fallen and raise awareness of Operational Stress Injuries and PTSD.

For more information on the Sept. 22 March and Service, go to https://rcl10.ca/event/hos-ninth-annual-memorial-march-candlelight-service/?instance_id=654