The day-long conference is more than a year in the making for Tom and Debbie Bonine of Geneva, whose son, Thomas, suffered from depression and committed suicide in 1998. He was a senior graphic design major at Eastern. It was Thomas' affection for others that commanded his family to establish the Thomas A. Bonine Rainbow of Hope Fund through the EIU Foundation. Our goal in establishing the fund is to educate and raise awareness about the causes of suicide, prevention programs and depression illness, said Tom Bonine. The first annual conference reflects the deep commitment by the EIU administration, the Counseling Center and fund donors toward suicide prevention.
Statistics show that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the country.
Research suggests that suicide often is the result of undiagnosed depression. Reportedly, more than 80 percent of those suffering can be effectively treated, yet only 30 percent seek help with only 15 percent being accurately diagnosed and effectively treated. The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 7, in the third floor meeting rooms of the University Union. It is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about depression and suicide prevention. Conference registration begins at 8 a.m. followed by welcoming remarks by Eastern President Carol Surles.