Lisa’s Light – Suicide prevention campaign lighting up Limerick’s bridges

I’ll start at the beginning, December 2014 to be exact. I was in 6th Year in Ardscoil Mhuire Corbally and heading out to a S.V.P French grind. I was in the car with my mam, Michelle when I told her I had a dream about my cousin Lisa, who we lost 5 years ago to suicide

I had a dream that Lisa was standing on the bridge, about to end her life when all of a sudden everything lit up around her, these big bright lights shone like a sign to her I suppose, and she stepped back from the edge. I woke up then and even though unfortunately that was not what happened in Lisa’s case I knew I had to do something.

I began by making a Facebook page. My idea was simple; to put big bright boxes with illuminated positive and life affirming messages (including little gifts) in dark places to help people going through dark times, for starters on Thomond Bridge in Limerick City. I created a petition to get it off the ground and within a week or two it reached 5000 signatures/likes!

I was so overwhelmed but determined at the same time and kept thinking to myself that Lisa could save lives. I started working with a Local Councillor called Daniel Butler, who helped me arrange meetings with the local council to tell them my idea and show them the support ‘Lisa’s Light’ had already gained from thousands of Limerick people.

I was up to my eyeballs in leaving cert work at that stage and with pre-exams looming I had a lot on my plate. I did radio interviews and spoke to anyone at all who would listen, anyone who could make this dream a reality. After just one meeting we got the green light from Limerick City County Council and I was in shock. I could not believe that this dream was about to come true.

The wheels began to turn even faster when Alphaset, a local design company in Limerick agreed not only to make the ‘Lisa’s Light’ boxes but to sponsor the first bridge! With the help of Daniel and all my family we set a date for the ‘Lisa’s Light’ launch. I oversaw the design and production of the light boxes keeping them as close to my dream as possible. We used backdrops of Limerick and created the messages with help from my mam, Daniel and Louise Morris from the HSE suicide prevention office.

Everything was falling into place and I was so busy I really don’t remember much after that! I did my pre-exams in February and on the 24^th March 2015 ‘Lisa’s Light’ was launched in Limerick City with the help of hundreds of local people, my friends and family and every search and rescue team in Limerick City. I remember walking outside Jack Monday’s Coffee House on Thomond Bridge and seeing the mass of people. I nearly cried there were so many people there I could not believe it.

Myself and Munster Rugby star Keith Earls left the symbol of 5O glow in the dark balloons into the night sky just as the boxes lit up. It was amazing.

I spoke just before we released the balloons and the emotion just flowed out of me. It took every single bit of strength I had not to cry that night when I urged anyone at all in need to get help and ring SAMARITANS 116123 if they ever needed to talk. We handed out the cards pictured below to every person in the crowd and I had people come to me in tears that night saying ‘Lisa’s Light’ saved their lives.

I was never able to talk about Lisa before then as I would cry and convince myself she wasn’t dead. Now, I talk about her every day, I pass her light nearly every week and I smile because she stands for every person who slipped through the cracks in our mental health system. I will fight for those people and anyone who does, has or will ever feel like Lisa did. I may only be one 19 year old girl but I feel like I made a difference and as long as I live I will continue to try and right what is wrong and be the light in someone’s darkness!

We constantly fundraise now and do events to promote positive mental health in Limerick. I speak to young people in schools all over Ireland and speak at events. If you take one thing from this article then please know that it’s okay not to feel okay and it is always okay to ask for help. Please follow Lisa’s Light on Facebook and Twitter and help us help those in a dark place when they need it most.